Here I Am
by Crow Skywalker
Summary: Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren’t what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi. [Umi x Clef, others] [WIP]
1. Letter From a Forgotten Past

Here I Am

Chapter One – Letter From a Forgotten Past

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Well, this is my first MKR fic, so be gentle. I'd also like to say that I have not seen the second season of MKR, so I'm going by what I've read…and well…you know. There may be mistakes :P But anyway, R&R and I hope you enjoy!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

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The room was dimly lit; a small bluish white light flickered overhead as the two faced off. Their faces covered, both were breathing heavily as they parried each other's attacks.

The girl with the blue hair hesitated, looking for her sparing partner, Yukari's, weakness, but found none. The other girl had grown quite good at fencing in the last few years.

_Either that or I'm falling behind_, she thought sadly.

There had once been a time that fencing had been her favorite past time. She had been great at it, and had been known for her ability to win against every opponent. But then things had changed. Perhaps it was because she had been called to another world where she had seen great things and had fought for its safety. Or perhaps it was because since she had returned home for the second time from that same magical world, she was too depressed to care if she won or lost. Fencing had once been the most important thing in her life. But now…

"Umi, you're not concentrating enough," said the other girl, raising a hand and sliding her mask off to stare at the girl with the blue hair. "You're leaving openings –"

"I'm sorry," Umi apologized, lowering her gaze as she took off her fencing mask as well.

Yukari sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "I don't know what's wrong with you Umi," she began, "But you used to be able to beat me so easily…" She turned then, making her way to the bench to get a towel. Wiping the sweat off her forehead, she told Umi, "I think that's enough for today."

Umi nodded, following after her and retrieving her own towel from her bag.

Putting her stuff away, Yukari turned to go to the girl's bathroom, "I'm going to shower. I'll see you back at the dorm, okay?"

"Yeah…see you," Umi mumbled, suddenly angry with herself. Fencing had once been the most important thing in her life, and now she just couldn't do it anymore. She zipped open her gym bag, setting her stuff inside before swinging it over her shoulders and heading towards the gym doors.

Outside, the winter air was refreshing on her hot skin, and she stood for a moment, just letting the coldness set in. But as the wind picked up and her hair started to blow around her furiously, she began the hike back to her collage dorms, not all that far away.

The sky above was dark, and clouds covered the winter skies so that no moon or stars could be seen. Small snowflakes began to fall as she took a shortcut and stepped onto the crisp grass. Another breeze caught her hair, and this time she shivered with the cold. Wrapping her jacket more firmly around her, she continued.

-----

The room was dark when she entered, and she put her keys on the table beside the door and shut it behind her. Reaching out a hand, she searched for the light switch on the wall. She soon found it, flicking it on and soon the darkness disappeared as the room was basked in light.

Taking off her shoes, she threw her bag on the couch and went to the kitchen to find some food. Instead, she found something much more interesting – a letter addressed to her.

_Yukari must have picked up the mail today and forgot to tell me_, she thought with a small smile as she picked it up, giving it a look over, _I wonder who it's from?_

Opening it, she soon found out as she looked at the name at the bottom.

_Hikaru?_ Her smile was replaced with a puzzled look, _but I haven't talked to her since we all started collage! What could she want?_

Her gaze turned to the start of the letter and she began to read.

_Umi-chan,_

_Konnichiwa! Surprised to hear from me, I bet! We haven't talked in so long…I miss being able to talk to you and Fuu. So I was thinking, maybe we should all get together this weekend and hang out...talk about the good old times and all. What do you think? I mailed Fuu too, asking what she thought of my idea. It would mean a lot to me if you both accepted…I really miss you guys._

_Love always,_

_Hikaru _

_P.S. You know where to find me!_

Umi sat back on the couch, staring at the letter with tears in her eyes. Hikaru wanted them to get together again…of course she would accept, even though it would bring back painful memories. She dearly missed the world of Cephiro and all her friends there, but she missed Fuu and Hikaru the most.

_Who knows_, she thought, folding the paper and laying it on the table beside her, _maybe this will be good for me. A whole weekend away from collage with my two best friends in the whole world._ She smiled then, something she didn't do all too often these days. _It'll be great_.

But the tears were still there, threatening to fall. There was a reason she hadn't kept in touch with Hikaru and Fuu. After returning to Earth the second time, she hadn't been able to look at them without crying. They had left, giving up everything, including their friends and the ones they loved. It had been too painful around them and it brought back too many memories.

Umi stared at the letter from where it lay. She would love to see her friends – but was that such a great idea? She began to have second thoughts about meeting with them.

Closing her eyes, she wiped her tear stained face with the back of her hand. Could she really go through with it? Seeing her friends, talking about memories she had tried so hard to forget? She opened her eyes, staring ahead. The key word had been tried – she couldn't forget the world of Cephiro. She thought of it every day and dreamed of it every night. It had become an obsession to her, and no matter how she tried to block the memories out they were always there. She could no longer concentrate on work of fencing, and she was failing horribly in college.

And now…her friends wanted to see her. She wouldn't turn them down – she couldn't. They were her connection to the past and the memories of Cephiro. Maybe, just maybe, if she saw them again, then Cephiro would stop haunting her.

Umi laid her head in her hands, letting her long blue hair shield her face. Yes, she wanted to see them – she needed to see them. She needed to put everything to rest, and needed their help. Since her return to her world, Umi had been slowly going downhill. Not only her marks and work, but her mood. She was depressed a lot of the time, and her friends were worried about her. She hoped seeing Hikaru and Fuu would help her. She missed them both, almost as much as she missed Cephiro.

Straightening, she looked down at the couch to find it very appealing. Putting her head on the pillow, she put her feet up and lay there on the soft fabric, closing her eyes once more as sleep started to consume her. And for what seemed like the hundredth time that week, she dreamed of the magical world that she had tried so hard to forget. Hikaru and Fuu were there, along with all of the others, waiting for her with smiles upon her face. They were so happy, and for the first time since she left, she was happy too. But deep down inside, she knew it wasn't real. It was a dream, just like the others.

"Cephiro," She muttered in her sleep, a pained expression making its way across her face. Cephiro was the one place she had ever been happy, and she wished with all her heart that she could return there.

So deep in sleep, Umi did not see or notice the bluish white sparkles that began to dance upon her body, nor did she notice that slowly, parts of her began to fade. All she knew was that in her dreams, she was in Cephiro, and there, she was happy.

To Be Continued…


	2. Crash Landing

Here I Am

Chapter Two – Crash Landing

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Well, here's the next chapter. Not as long as the last one, but that's because it has more conversation. And don't worry, Yukari isn't one of those annoying original characters that people tend to stick in their fics. She's just Umi's roommate, and we may never hear from her again after this :P

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

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Yukari returned home to find the door unlocked and the apartment empty. The door being unlocked wasn't a big surprise, since she had expected Umi to go straight home after their duel, but as she searched the rooms, she found no sign of the other girl.

With a shrug, she sat down on the couch and picked up the remote to the television. Maybe Umi had went out to get something? But something was still bothering her. Umi would never leave the door unlocked if she was going out…

She then noticed Umi's bag, which was still on the couch. _Well, at least I know she was here…but where is she now?_

A white envelope caught her attention next.

_She was here long enough to open her mail too,_ she reached out, looking the envelope over. _Hikaru Shidou? Never heard of her. Wonder if she's a friend of Umi's…Umi never talks about her past. _

Her curiosity getting the best of her, she took the folded paper out from within the envelope and opened it, glancing over it_. Ah, maybe this is what happened to Umi_, she realized, _she went to visit her friends early or something._

Satisfied with that answer, Yukari shoved the paper back into the envelope and put it back where she had found it. With a yawn she got off the couch, fully intent on heading off to bed. She still had a bad feeling about whatever had happened to Umi, but she brushed it off.

_She'll probably phone me in the morning and tell me where she is_, she thought as she made her way to her room. _No worries_.

Little did she know that at that moment, Umi was far, far away from a phone, and even if she wanted to, Umi had no way of contacting her.

-----

She could feel herself falling, but dared not to open her eyes. Sleep kept begging to return, and she passed off the falling feeling as one of those dreams most people experience in their lives. Those crazy dreams where you're almost asleep, and you feel like you fall…and you jerk awake only to find that you're still in your bed.

That's what it felt like for Umi. Only something was different…maybe it was the cold air, or the way the wind whipped her hair about her face?

She shivered, groaning and tried to roll over, searching out the warm couch she had fallen asleep on. Sadly, her hand made contact with nothing but air, and this is when her eyes finally snapped open and she realized she wasn't in Kansas anymore.

It hadn't been a dream. She really was falling! She screamed, her arms flailing about in the air as she fell.

_What the hell's going on?_ Her mind screamed wildly in her head, _I was on the couch! Now I'm…_

Something clicked, a memory of the past. She had fallen once like this before, a long time ago…when she had arrived in Cephiro. Her gaze flicked down to the trees and ground that seemed to be approaching her fast, and she cast a glance across the land as far as she could see. It was all very familiar…it was the same magical world in her dreams and memories.

Her heart swelled at that thought, and a smile made its way across her face. It was Cephiro! She was finally home!

But what if this was all a dream? Her smile faltered. What if this was just her unconscious mind playing tricks on her? She did the only thing she could think of to prove that it was or not, and reached out and pinched herself.

_Ow__!_ She winced, _that certainly felt like it was real!_

Happiness flooded her again, that was, until she looked down, and realized she was about to hit bottom at any minute now. She panicked, her legs kicking the air as she fell.

_Oh god…I'm going to die…and I'm only nineteen…_ She closed her eyes, breathing heavily as the rush of air continued to whip her hair around her.

_I know!_ Her eyes suddenly snapped open. _Any minute now Clef will summon some creature to save me!_ She thought, remembering the first time she had first come to Cephiro. _He must know I'm coming, right? Since there's no way for me to return here without being summoned…_

She suddenly remembered there was no pillar to summon her anymore, and it was quite impossible for her to even be here. _There's no way for anyone to summon me…so what am I doing here? _

"What's going on?" She cried, but there was no answer as she crashed to the ground below, the trees whipping past her. The ground came up the meet her, and she soon lost consciousness.

-----

Hikaru was abruptly awoken the next morning by the phone next to her bed. She sat up, rubbing her tired eyes and muttered obscenities to whoever would be calling that early in the morning. Reaching over, she finally picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She asked, her voice coming out scratchy because her throat was dry. She coughed once before repeating in a better voice, "Hello?"

"Hi, is this Hikaru Shidou?" A feminine voice asked on the other line.

Hikaru mumbled a yes, staring tiredly at her clock. It was only 7 o'clock in the morning.

"You don't know me, but I'm Umi Ryuuzaki's roommate Yukari…" Hikaru suddenly lost all interest in sleep as she sat up at the mention of her old friend's name. "And I was wondering if you know where she is?"

"Sorry, I haven't seen her in a long time…" Hikaru answered, somewhat concerned now. Was Umi missing?

"Oh," The other girl answered softly, "Well then, I'm sorry to bother you."

"Wait!" Hikaru cried, "Is there something wrong with Umi? What's going on?"

"Well I came home last night, and she wasn't home…her things were here and she wasn't. She never came home last night at all…didn't leave a message or anything." Yukari told her.

"Strange." Answered Hikaru, "That's so very unlike her."

"That's what I thought." Yukari continued, "I figured she'd gone out somewhere and would call me…but there's still no sign from her, and we have to get to class…if she misses today's test…"

Hikaru was now getting out of bed, pulling on a pair of jeans and struggling to pull a shirt over her head as she talked on the phone.

"How'd you know to phone here anyway?" Hikaru finally asked as she pulled on some socks, "Umi and I are good friends, but we haven't talked in a long time…"

"Oh, well when I came home I found the letter you had written to Umi," The girl paused, and on the other end of the line she blushed in embarrassment, "I kind of read it, and I thought maybe you'd know where she was. Sorry."

Hikaru felt panicked for a moment before she realized she hadn't written anything in the letter about Cephiro, and she was suddenly glad she hadn't.

"It's okay," Hikaru replied, "I'm glad you phoned. I'll keep an eye out for her, okay?"

Yukari nodded, although Hikaru couldn't see it. "I'll phone you if anything comes up, okay?"

"Thanks." Said Hikaru, immediately taking the phone away from her ear and rapidly dialing a number she hadn't called in a while.

"Hououji residence, how may I help you?" Came a soft voice, and Hikaru smiled.

"Fuu, we need to talk. Now."

"Hikaru? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me," She cut off whatever Fuu was about to say next, "We really have to talk. Can you meet me in fifteen minutes?"

"I have classes soon.." Fuu started.

"You'll have to skip them," Hikaru told her, "This is very important."

"What's wrong?" Asked Fuu, sounding very concerned now.

"I can't go into big details, but Umi's missing."

Fuu was silent for a moment before replying, "Where do you want to meet?"

"Tokyo Tower." Hikaru stated simply.

"I'll see you there."

To Be Continued…


	3. New Evils

Here I Am

Chapter Three – New Evils

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Well, here's another chapter. Coming up with them fast, aren't I? That's because they're pretty short. But you know what I realized while writing this? This fic is going to be huge if I ever finish it. Seriously, I have a load of new plans…and I don't even think the summary for this fic is going to fit anymore. Lol, we'll see. It's still going to be based mainly on Umi, since I see way too many Fuu and Hikaru fics :P Oh, and something else…the ideas for the "new evil" came to me today when writing this. I didn't want to make up any characters, so I decided to use some old ones…;) Also got around to an explanation on how Umi got sent back. Anyway, R&R and I hope you enjoy!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

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A slight breeze blew through the branches of the trees, making them dance and cast shadows across the ground below. The sky above, although hard to see through the dense canopy, was dark and dreary and looked like it was threatening to rain. The forest was silent, except for the small gasps of breath coming from a clearing within the trees.

Umi groaned, rolling over on her back as she shielded her eyes against the light. It felt like she had been knocked out, and her body was in great pain. She wondered if she had somehow been trampled on by a dozen horses, because she sure felt like it.

_Where am I?_ She asked herself as her brain finally started to work, _I…I was at home…_

And then she remembered.

_Cephiro!_ She sat upright, and winced as pain shot down through her body. She remembered it clearly now, waking up in midair…she had fallen from the sky and had landed somewhere in the forest below.

She groaned again, lying back down. The pain was too much for her.

_But why wasn't I saved?_ She thought glumly, suddenly upset. _Someone must be expecting me…_

The wind was her only answer as it blew a bit harder, rustling the leaves over head. Umi glanced around her, and noticed she was in a small clearing.

_The trees must have saved me from the crash landing…_ she thought, _but they didn't do a very good job._ She sighed, wondering just how long she had been unconscious, _at least I'm alive. I thought for sure it was going to be the end!_

She closed her tired eyes, letting the wind refresh her, but questions were still whizzing through her mind. If she had been summoned, then why wasn't anyone here to greet her? How had she been summoned without the Pillar? If she was here, then were Hikaru and Fuu here too? And if they were, where were they?

She shook her head, seeing spots behind her eyes from the pain. There were too many questions and no answers.

She lay there for a moment more, unmoving. The less she moved the less pain she had to suffer through.

"Why do bad things always happen to me?" She grumbled, opening her eyes just as there was a flash of lightening across the sky.

_Oh great, I spoke too soon!_ She glared up at the sky, or what she could see of it through the trees. There was a burst of thunder that almost made her jump. _Don't you dare!_ She warned it, but it was too late.

It started to rain.

_This is just great_, she thought, still lying down as the light drizzle started and soon became full-fledged raindrops. The foliage overhead did nothing to stop the rain from reaching her, and she was soon soaked. With a sigh, she pulled her aching body off the ground and stood on shaky legs.

_I have to find shelter_, she thought determinedly_. Somewhere to hide until this storm is over._

There was another boom of thunder overhead that almost made the ground shake beneath her feet.

And I need to find somewhere fast! 

Leaning against trees for support whenever she could, she made her way through the forest in search of a place to hide the storm out.

-----

She found him sitting on his throne when she entered the dark room. He was alone, all except for a large white crystal mirror that sat before him. Pictures were playing within it, and he was staring at it rather boredly. He looked up as she entered, laying his head upon his hand as his attention went back to the mirror.

"Ah, I see you've put the first plan into action." She stated as she watched the pictures flash and move.

He didn't answer, just silently nodded.

"They'll never know what hit them." She mused, an evil smirk playing upon her face. "He would have loved to see their downfall."

"He would've." The man on the throne finally answered, throwing his head back so his long white hair was out of his face, "But they killed him. It's up to us to have his revenge."

The woman laughed. "Yes, and I will enjoy every bit of it." She clenched her hands together, "I never did get to have my revenge on them before I died. I'm going to enjoy watching them fall to their knees and beg for their lives."

The man's eyes flashed yellow in the darkness. "Don't get too carried away, Alcione. You know that attitude's what gotten you killed in the past. And if you fail this time, I doubt we'll be able to bring you back."

She nodded. "I know."

"Darkness has already begun to take over the land," He went on to say, "The plan is almost in motion. Soon the Magic Knights will be called back to Cephiro."

Alcione smiled wickedly in the darkness. "Their past is coming back to haunt them."

The man with the white hair nodded. "He will be pleased once he awakens."

Alcione's smirk faltered and her face became concerned, "How is he?"

"The ritual went well, we managed to obtain his soul from the Spirit World," He stood, coming closer to the large crystal ball, "We had to recreate his body to look like his old one, but everything else went fine. His soul has returned, and it's only a matter of time before he wakes."

"Good." She answered.

He looked up at her then, his silver white hair falling around his face, "I hope you're not making any plans," he stated, "He is not being brought back from the dead for _you_," he spat the last word and looked at her in disgust.

Alcione's eyes darkened. "Of course not, Innova."

His eyes blazed in the darkness, and Alcione stepped back. She didn't want to get on his bad side – Innova had gained the ability to shift forms whenever he felt like it. His beast form wasn't something she ever wanted to deal with.

"Just make sure you keep that in mind," He hissed.

She nodded. "How much longer do you think it'll be before the Knights arrive?"

He sat back on his throne, gazing into the crystal mirror. "It's hard to say. There is no Pillar to call upon them, and I had to look to the dark magics to find something. It could take up to weeks to work – depending on the Knights." His lips curled into a look of disgust, "They must wish to return first. With their lovers here, I don't think it should be much of a problem though."

"I see." She answered, and silence fell between them.

"Don't you have something to do?" Innova finally snapped, "I didn't bring you back to stand there stupidly. Go! Get out of my sight!"

With a swift bow, Alcione exited the room, leaving Innova to himself.

_Yes_, his mind whispered, and he leaned in to get a better look at what was going on in the mirror_, soon the Magic Knights shall return, and we will all have our revenge._ He smirked, _sins of the past are going to be the death of them!_

To Be Continued…


	4. Shelter From the Storm

Here I Am

Chapter Four – Shelter From the Storm

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Wheee another day, another chapter. It's getting to the point where I can post a new chapter every day :P Actually, I could have posted two chapters yesterday…because I had this one written as well as chapter three. Almost had chapter five done, but I ended up finishing it off this morning. Of course I won't be posting it until tomorrow, but oh well. This fic is so easy to write because the chapters are short. If I wrote long chapters I'd never finish it. Hopefully I'll get around to finishing this fic…I don't think I've ever finished a chaptered fic before ; R&R, and I hope you all enjoy!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

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It was near dinnertime as the girls ran into each other outside of Tokyo Tower. It had taken them longer to get there than they had expected, and both of them were breathless from running.

"Sorry I'm late," Fuu gasped between breaths, watching her fiery red headed friend do the same. "I had to make up some excuses to get away from everyone."

Hikaru waved it off, bending down and propping herself up using her knees as she continued to breathe heavily.

"No..problem…" She gasped out.

Once they had both calmed down slightly, Fuu was the next to speak.

"So have you heard any news?" She asked.

Hikaru shook her head, her eyes downcast. "Not a word since her room mate phoned me."

"Maybe she went to visit her parents?" Fuu offered, hoping that there was nothing to get really upset about. It wasn't like Umi could just disappear out of thin air, was it?

"Tried phoning them. They told me she hasn't visited them this year, and they haven't heard from her." Answered Hikaru, heading into the familiar tower.

"Kidnapped?"

"No ransom note." Said Hikaru, eyeing the familiar surroundings before saying softly, "It's kind of sad, isn't it?"

Fuu stared at her, waiting for her to continue. "How so?"

"That we finally get together after all this time, and instead of saying hello and tears and hugs, we're worried sick that something bad has happened to Umi." Hikaru took a seat outside the souvenir shop, looking down as she played with her hands. When she had planned the get together, she never thought it would be like this! A lone tear made its way down her cheek.

"Oh Hikaru…" Fuu gave her a small smile. "Please don't cry!"

But it was too late. Her head bowed so that her hair fell down in her face and no one could see her cry, Hikaru let the tears flow.

"I'm just so worried, Fuu…" She sniffed. "I can't…I can't stand to lose any more of my friends!" She looked up now, meeting Fuu's sad gaze, "I lost everyone in Cephiro…I can't lose Umi too."

Fuu laid a comforting hand on Hikaru's shoulder, "I'm sure that wherever she is, she's fine. Umi's strong, she can take care of herself!"

"I know," Hikaru sobbed, "But it's just this feeling I have…that wherever she is, she's in trouble."

Fuu sighed, leaning her head against a hand as she looked down at the table. She was just as upset as Hikaru was, but she wasn't about to show it. Hikaru would only be more upset if she started to cry too.

Doing the only thing she could do, she reached out and pulled Hikaru closer, offering the most comforting hug that she could give as they sat there in silence, hoping to god that Umi was okay wherever she was.

-----

Umi shivered from the cold, wiping the water out of her eyes. The rain was blinding now, and she struggled to keep her eyes open against it as she trudged on, her arms wrapped around her small figure.

_Never in my dreams of returning to Cephiro did I ever dream of this!_ She thought sadly, forced once again to close her eyes as a gust of wind blew icy daggers at her. _I think I'd rather have stayed home,_ she laughed mildly, _after wishing every day I could return here, and I already want to go back…that's just sad._

Another gush of wind sent her skirt flying up, and she was forced to give up what little warmth her arms gave her to push it back down. Normally she would have been embarrassed, but she was in the middle of nowhere with no one around, so why should she care?

There was a flash of lightning overhead, lighting up the darkening sky. Soon night would fall, and here Umi was feeling her way around a forest, not even knowing what direction she was headed in. All she knew was that she was cold and wet and in an awful lot of pain.

A crack of thunder made her jump, and she was glad she was holding on to a tree, although it wasn't the safest thing to be doing during a storm. The ground rumbled along with the thunder beneath her feet, causing her to sway.

_This is one powerful storm_, she looked up to the sky, shielding her eyes from the pelting rain, _I haven't seen one this bad since…since the first time we arrived here and Cephiro was falling to pieces!_

Another lightening bolt lit up the surrounding area, and Umi looked down in time to see something she hadn't seen in the darkness.

_Was that..?_ Another flash. _There! I saw it again!_

It was a small cabin, not too far away from where she stood. If she had kept walking, she probably would have walked right past it in the rain and darkness. Gripping the tree tightly to steady herself, she made a turn to go to the cabin.

It was a small and shabby place, Umi noticed as she entered and closed the door firmly behind her, but there was a bed and a fireplace. That's all she really wanted, anyway. A warm place to sleep the storm out, and hopefully heal from her wounds. And if she were lucky, maybe someone would come and find her in the morning.

Making her way over to the fire, she found some pieces of firewood and some old papers to get the fire started. What she didn't find, however, was something to create the fire with. Searching around, she soon found a small box of matches beneath the old dried out wood.

_I hope these are still good_, she thought, opening the small box with shaking hands. There were only three matches left in it, and they looked like they were pretty old.

_Please work_, she begged, flicking the first one against the side of the box. It lit up, but before she could get it into the fire, it blew out. _Damn!_

She managed to get the second one into the fire, however, and soon the fire was crackling and hissing to life. She sighed, leaning into the warmth it was creating, putting her numb hands up to thaw out.

She sat there for a long time, letting the heat dry her hair and clothes. Outside the storm continued to rage, and when she finally glanced up from the fire, she realized it was night out. The motion of looking up made pain shoot down through her body.

She lifted herself up, sitting on the small bed in the corner. _Time to check out the injuries…_

Her legs were pretty bad, mostly because she had been wearing a skirt. There were deep scratches everywhere there was open skin. She was suddenly glad that it had rained, because all of the blood had washed off and she didn't think she could have dealt with seeing it. Blood wasn't one of her favorite things. However, she was still bleeding from a deep gash in her side, and she carefully took an old white sheet off the bed and ripped it.

_This will have to make do_, she winced, tying it around her to stop the blood.

With that done, she sighed deeply, laying back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling, and for the first time since she woke up, she smiled.

_I'm home…this is Cephiro…_ She rolled over so that she was facing the fire, and she stared into it. _I may not be enjoying myself…but it's good to know that I'm home, and once I get out of here…I'll be able to see my friends again._

That thought in mind, she fell into a deep sleep.

To Be Continued…


	5. Fuu’s Wish

Here I Am

Chapter Five – Fuu's Wish

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Yeah, so I'm sorry I never got around to posting this until now. It was because was down, and I post the chapters there first, and then here. Of course its down again now…but I managed to upload this chapter this morning, so here it is here. R&R!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

It had been dark when she arrived home that night, and as she closed the door quietly behind her, she couldn't help but be worried now.

They had spent the whole afternoon at Tokyo Tower, just sitting outside the souvenir shop, comforting each other. There hadn't been much else to do, since they didn't even know where to start looking for Umi. Before they had split up to go their own separate ways, however, Hikaru had phoned Yukari to see if Umi had returned yet. She hadn't.

Now, Fuu knew something was wrong with her friend. Umi wasn't one to take off like that and not leave a note or tell anyone where she was going, and she should have been home by now.

"Fuu? Is that you?" A feminine voice came from her living room, and Fuu realized her mother was probably worried about her.

"Yes mom, it's me." She answered, passing by the living room to head upstairs.

"Can you come here please?"

Fuu sighed. This was it, she was in trouble.

"Where were you today?" Her mother asked as she appeared in the doorway, and she noticed that her father was in the room too. They were sitting very close together on the couch, concerned looks on their faces as they looked at their daughter.

"Visiting a friend." She answered simply. It wasn't a lie, she really had been visiting a friend. She just didn't bother to tell them the details.

"You missed classes today." Her mom pointed out softly, "Mrs. Kannanawich phoned to tell me you were absent – apparently you had a research paper due."

_Oh no…I knew I forgot something!_ Fuu winced. "It was important."

"What's more important than your grades?" Her father finally spoke.

Fuu shook her head, looking down at the floor. She couldn't bear to look at their disappointed faces. "I can't tell you."

Her father grew angry at this. "You'll never be able to do anything with your life if you don't pass college!" He yelled, now standing.

Fuu's mother looked startled. "Sit down dear, please," She begged, "Don't yell."

Tears came to Fuu's eyes. Never in her life had she ever disappointed her family, and it made her feel terrible. But it had been for a good cause – one of her friends was in trouble. If only she could tell them that…

"I don't know what's going on with you, Fuu." He shook his head, sitting as his wife told him to. "You used to be so good in school…and now this? Not passing in papers, skipping classes to hang out with friends? I don't understand…"

Fuu was silent and still refused to look up at them.

"Well?" He asked, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Nothing." She whispered.

A long silence fell between them, and finally she broke it.

"I'm tired. I'm going to bed." She said quietly, her head still hung so that they couldn't see the tears. Turning, she swiftly made her way upstairs to her room, clicking on the light next to her bed and closing the door behind her.

_They don't understand...they _can't_ understand!_ She thought furiously, throwing herself down on her bed and wiping the tears from her eyes. _They can't understand what I'm going through…what I left behind in Cephiro!_

She closed her eyes, and she remembered a memory from long ago. She stood in a elegant palace looking up at a handsome man with green hair and golden yellow eyes that only held adoration and love for her.

"Ferio…" Her eyes opened and more tears came. She had left her first true love in Cephiro; returned to Earth, never to see him again.

Picking up a stuffed animal on her bed, she curled up and held it tightly as she cried. She wanted to see Ferio again and all her friends, she wanted to see how beautiful Cephiro was now, and how it had prospered. But most of all, she wanted to find Umi and make sure she was safe.

With trembling lips, she opened her mouth and started in a quiet whisper, "I wish…"

-----

It was a bright and sunny morning, although quite wet from the night before. Birds were chirping happily, coming out of the hiding places and shaking themselves off, animals were slowly making their way out of their borrows. The forest was peaceful, but all of that was suddenly ruined by the sound of horses hooves pounding the soft ground.

He was dressed in his usual armor, and his hair was pulled back into a small ponytail. With a sword at his side, Larfarga made his way through the forest atop of his dark black stallion, keeping a close eye on the ground.

He normally wouldn't be out riding around in a forest this early in the morning, especially since dawn had only come a few hours earlier and the air was still cold and felt damp across his face. However, he had gotten up early to look for a flower that only blossomed after a large amount of rain and grew in this forest.

He spotted one up ahead, and a small smile appeared on his face. _Caldina will be pleased._

Slowing his horse as he neared, he dismounted in front of the beautiful flower. It was a light pink rose, grown only centimeters from the ground, and was supported by a stock of thorns. With a gloved hand he reached out and picked it, bringing it to his face and drawing in a small breath. It smelled of strawberries and honey, something Caldina loved.

Holding it as carefully as he could, he put the flower in his travel bag for safe keeping.

A noise from behind him startled him, "Larfarga?"

He spun around to see a girl with long blue hair standing not too far away. Her clothes were tattered and torn and she looked like she had been through a rough time. He didn't recognize her at first, since she was older now and more mature, but her blue eyes caught his and he suddenly remembered those eyes from a time long ago.

"Umi?" He stepped forward, "Is that you?"

She nodded, and a smile formed across her face. "Yeah, it's me."

"But…how did you get here?" He asked

"I was hoping someone here in Cephiro could answer that question." She winced as she let go of the tree she had been holding onto and fell to her knees. Larfarga made an attempt to catch her.

"What happened to you?" He questioned, picking her up in his arms. She was in no state to be walking.

Umi suddenly felt tired, closing her eyes now that she knew she was in safe hands. She had stayed up most of the night worrying what she was going to do next and if anyone was going to find her. Now that someone had, she felt a lot better. "Sky," She muttered tiredly.

He stared down at the girl in his arms, wondering just what had happened to her. Seeing that she was almost asleep, he lifted her up onto his horse and sat her between his arms so that she wouldn't fall off.

_Clef will have answers_, he thought with a hitch of the rein, and the horse took off the way they had came. _There's no way Umi could be here…with no pillar system, and I know for sure nobody has even tried to summon the Magic Knights since they left. There hasn't been a need to. Cephiro is doing just fine now…_ __

With those thoughts in mind, Larfarga headed in the direction of the palace. Somebody there had to have answers.

To Be Continued…


	6. The Palace

Here I Am

Chapter Six – The Palace

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Blah. Don't like this chapter at all…I don't even like the title of it. I couldn't think of a title, and that was the only thing that came to me ; Chapter titles really have no meaning in this fic anyway, since I switch back and forth between Cephiro, Earth and the characters. I don't know why I even did chapter titles xX But anyway, I want to say that I'm using OAV Clef for this fic, and there'll be more on that later. R&R, and I'll be seeing you tomorrow with the next chapter, hopefully

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

He held on to the reins tightly as he galloped through the forest, making sure he had a tight grip on Umi so that she wouldn't fall. She was unconscious, or so he assumed. There was no way anyone could sleep while riding a horse, not at the speed he was going.

He looked down at her briefly, wondering if she was okay. _She's pretty beat up…looks like she lost a lot of blood. She must be exhausted._

They broke through the trees and into a grassy field, the black stallion not once slowing its steady run until it reached the palace.

"Larfarga, is that you?" He could hear someone calling to him from inside the palace, and soon a dark tanned girl with pinkish hair appeared in the main entrance. Making her way down the many stairs, she was too busy talking to realize something was wrong. "You left so early this morning, and it wasn't until I found Ferio that he told me you had gone out for a ride…"

"Caldina." He interrupted her.

She stopped in front of him, and her eyes finally lowered to the girl in his arms. She blinked, staring at the familiar girl. "Who's that?"

"You mean you don't recognize her?" He asked with a smile, dropping down off his horse and taking Umi in his arms.

"She seems familiar," Caldina stated, studying the girl. She was tall, her skin was pale and her blue hair was a mess. On top of that, the girl seemed really beat up. A memory from long ago caused her to look again. _Long blue hair?_ "…Umi?"

Larfarga nodded. "I found her in the forest."

"Is she all right?" Caldina asked in a concerned voice, not taking her eyes off the girl.

"I don't know." He answered truthfully. Besides the cuts and bruises on the outside, she could have had broken ribs or bones. "I was hoping Clef could tell us."

Caldina smiled, looking up at Larfarga with aqua eyes. "Clef will be pleased to know that she's returned." A small knowing smile made its way across her lips. "Come, bring her inside."

She started back up the steps and he followed close behind, careful not to move Umi too much.

Inside, the palace was quiet. It was still rather early and most people still weren't up yet, Ferio and Clef being an exception. Ferio, being a prince, had things to attend to, and Clef was usually always around to help him. So when they finally found Ferio in the library, they found Clef.

"Guru Clef!" Shouted Caldina, and both Ferio and Clef's head shot up from what they were doing. Both stared as Caldina came into the room, Larfarga in tow with something in his arms.

"What is it, Caldina?" Clef asked.

Caldina didn't bother to answer, just stepped out of Larfarga's way. He stepped foreword, and both Clef and Ferio gasped in surprise.

"Umi?" Ferio finally spoke, "But what is she doing here?"

There was only silence, because no one knew the answer to that question.

"This isn't possible," Clef finally spoke in a soft voice, his eyes never leaving her face, "There's no pillar to summon her here."

"Do you think…the others are here too?" Asked Ferio, thinking about how great it would be to finally see Fuu again.

"Where did you find her?" Clef came foreword, reaching out and brushing a strand of hair away from her face and he stared down at her.

"The forest just west of here." Larfarga informed him, "I think she was out there all night."

Caldina brought a hand up to her mouth. "You mean she was out there during the storm?" She shook her head, "Poor girl."

"She must have fell from the sky," Said Larfarga, shifting the girl slightly in his arms. "There's no way she could have gotten this hurt otherwise, unless she was attacked."

"Take her to her room," said Ferio, "She needs her rest in order to heal."

Larfarga nodded, leaving the room to take Umi to where she had last stayed when she was last in Cephiro.

"Is there anything I can do?" Caldina asked.

"Watch over her," He instructed her before turning to Clef, who had a somewhat dazed expression on his face. "Clef? We may need you healing abilities."

Clef snapped out of his thoughts, nodding. "I'll do what I can."

Ferio offered them both a small smile. "In the meantime, I'll try to find out what's going on. Come get me as soon as she wakes up."

Both of them gave a small bow before leaving the room. Outside, the halls were still eerily quiet and the only sounds were their footsteps as they walked.

Caldina, who was walking beside the taller man, looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"So Guru," She started, "Mind telling me what you were thinking back there? You were awfully out of it."

"I really don't think that's any of your business, Caldina." He stated, not looking at her.

"Oh come on, Clef," She swatted his arm playfully, "You can tell me. I know your little secret."

He finally looked at her then, a confused look on his face. "What secret?"

"You like her!" She grinned, "I can tell! You always did!"

"What are you talking about, Caldina?" He asked, once more looking away, "Have you finally lost it?"

She laughed then, and it echoed through the empty halls. "Oh Clef, you really are in denial, aren't you?"

"I'll admit I'm worried about her," He said, "But whatever you think I feel, I don't."

"Then why were you so miserable when she left?" Caldina pointed out with a knowing smirk.

Clef shot her an annoyed look. "Can we please change the subject?"

"Fine, fine…" She rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say."

Silence fell between them as they walked, but Caldina broke it with a sly grin, "I bet Ascot will be happy to see her."

Any emotion or movement she expected out of him didn't come, for they had arrived at Umi's room. They found Umi lying in bed, the sheets pulled up so that her arms were exposed and draped on top of the covers. Larfarga had taken the liberty of closing the curtains that lead to the balcony so that the room was darkened.

"Still no sign of her waking up?" Clef asked, brushing off what Caldina had just said. She obviously didn't know what she was talking about – he was Master Mage of Cephiro – he had no time for some silly crush. And yes, maybe he had been a bit down when the Knights had left…

_But that was because I was under a lot of stress, trying to get Cephiro back on its feet_, he told himself.

Larfarga shook his head. "Hasn't moved since I found her."

_I'm surprised she's even alive_, sighed Clef, leaning in to check her pulse. It was beating at a normal rate. _Who knows how long she was out in the forest by herself?_

He raised a hand over her then, closing his eyes in concentration. In order for him to be able to help her, he had to find out what was wrong with her to begin with. A white light started to glow in his hand, flashing briefly before going out.

Caldina, who had been standing quietly while Clef scanned Umi for injuries, finally asked, "So, what's wrong with her?"

"Well, she got a nasty knock on the head from somewhere, I guess it was due to the fall," He informed them, "A few broken ribs, a few cuts and a gash in her side. Besides that, she's fine."

Caldina looked relieved. "That's good to know. So she'll be waking up any time now?"

Clef nodded. "She just needs to rest. I can fix the broken ribs with magic, but some of the other things may take a while to heal." He sighed, looking down at the sleeping girl, "Fetch Ascot and Primera. I may need their help."

"We'll go get them." Said Caldina, taking Larfarga's hand and leading him out of the room.

They disappeared into the hall, closing the door gently behind them.

To Be Continued…


	7. Fuu's Return

Here I Am

Chapter Seven – Fuu's Return

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Well, this chapter sucks…but meh. I was having major writer's block when I wrote this, and I was actually thinking about taking a break from writing. The I'm going to be pretty busy for the next few weeks (My 17th birthday is on August 2nd, and I'm going away for five days starting on the 6th) but then I started writing chapter eight last night and I finished it. So I plan on taking my break after I post chapter eight, which will most likely be tomorrow. Anyway, R&R and I hope you enjoy!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

It was dark out, and a chilling breeze made its way through a window and into the darkened room. The curtains fluttered with the wind, exposing the full moon that hung in the sky outside. No stars could be seen, only the few soft snowflakes that fell. Across the room, a form shivered in her sleep and unconsciously pulled the blankets closer to her. However, it wasn't because of the cold.

_She was alone, gazing around the familiar palace she had grown to know and love in Cephiro. Although something was different, something she couldn't quite point out._

"Hello?" Is there anyone here?" She called, glancing around. There was only silence, and she suddenly realized what was wrong. 

_The silence._With all the people in the palace, there should be talking and laughter!

_She was running now, her bare feet slapping the cold floor as she searched everywhere for another human being. She found none._

_Leaning against a wall, she fell to her knees. _Where is everyone?

Tears came to her eyes, and she buried her head in her arms. 

_She was alone._

Hikaru woke up with a start, breathing heavily in the chilled air almost if she actually had been running down those empty halls. Bringing a hand up to her face, she gently touched it. Tears. She wiped them away furiously.

_It was a dream_, she tried to convince herself. _I'm not alone! I have Fuu and Umi and they'd never leave me!_

She lay back down, shutting her eyes against the pain she felt inside. _I'll phone Fuu tomorrow…tell her about my dream. Maybe it means something._

Sleep didn't come to her for a long time after that, and she found herself staring up at her ceiling until early hours of the morning.

I'm not alone. She told herself, pulling the blankets closer to her, As long as I have my memories and my friends, I'll never be alone. __

-----

Fuu blinked, opening her eyes before bringing a hand up to shield them from the sun. Where was she? Hadn't it just been night? Why was the sun out then? And hadn't see been lying on her bed, safe at home?

Her eyes finally adjusting to the new light, Fuu finally noticed she was standing in front of a something very familiar.

_No..it__ cant't be!_ She squinted her eyes behind her glasses, studying what stood in front of her. _I must be dreaming again…there's no way I'm standing in front of Cephiro's palace!_

But stepping up on the first step, she found it to be very solid and very real.

_If this is a dream, it's very realistic!_ She thought, making her way up the rest of the stairs.

The entranceway was empty, so she turned to go down one of the many halls. It was empty too, except for the few pictures on the wall. All the doors were closed, and there was a strange silence in the air.

_If this isn't a dream, then where is everyone?_ She hesitated, looking at the door in front of her_. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to open one and see if anyone was around?_ She shook her head, she wasn't one to invade someone's privacy.

She continued down the hall, stopping when she finally came to the library doors. They were opened slightly, and her heart soared. _There's usually always someone in the library!_ She pushed the doors open, careful not to make a sound.

The library was as she remembered it, shelves upon shelves of books on magic and everything else you could think of. There were two tables set out in the middle of the room, and behind them was a small staircase that lead up to even more bookshelves that faced in different directions. She walked in, her feet making no noise on the elegant red carpeting.

She sighed. _There's no one here either.._

She turned to leave, but was stopped by a soft voice, so quiet she almost thought she had imagined it.

"Fuu…"

She turned back, and gasped.

-----

He had been up looking in the smaller bookshelves that were behind the tables he had been earlier working hard at when he thought he had heard the door open. He had shrugged it off and hadn't bothered to look and see who it was; if they wanted him, they would have called out to him by now.

Going back to what he was doing, he sighed. He had so much on his mind now, with Umi showing up and all. What was going on in Cephiro that was strong enough to summon the Magic Knights back? And why was Umi here and the others not?

He shook his head, grabbing a book from the bookcase and heading back through the maze of shelves. He was at the stairs when he finally looked up, and his breath caught.

She stood back on, but he could tell who she was. She still had that wavy dark blonde hair, although it was slightly longer now, and she wore a green skirt and a white blouse, although she had a matching green sweater over it. It was his angel…she was back…

She made to leave, and Ferio choked, finally finding his voice. "Fuu?"

She spun around, her green eyes twinkling almost magically in the morning light. "Ferio?"

He made his way down the steps quickly, and she ran to him, burying her face in his shoulder. He put his arms around her, holding her close and wanting to never let go of her again.

"I thought I'd never see you again," She sobbed, her voice muffled by his clothes and armor.

He pulled her closer, breathing in the scent of her hair. Oh god, how he'd missed her!

"If this is a dream, then I never want to wake up." He heard her say, and he smiled.

"You're not dreaming." He told her.

She pulled away slightly, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "H-how is this possible…the pillar.."

"The pillar system is gone," He finished for her, and he smiled down at her. "I don't know, we've been trying to find out what's going on ever since Umi.."

"Umi?" She interrupted him, her eyes wide, "What about Umi? Is she here too?"

He nodded. "Larfarga found her in the forest this morning…she was in pretty bad shape."

"Where is she now?" Asked Fuu, relieved that Umi was alive and in Cephiro, although by the sounds of it, she was hurt.

"She's in her room, but-"

"I have to see her." Fuu pulled away quickly leaving, heading down the hall to where she knew Umi would be.

"Fuu!" Ferio caught up to her, "You can't go in there –"

But she had already opened the door, and was staring at the beaten girl who lay in Umi's bed.

"Fuu?" Clef, Ascot and Primera looked up as she entered, watching as she made her way across the room to sit by Umi's side.

"I'm sorry we barged in–" Ferio began, but Clef brushed it off.

"We haven't started yet, so there's no harm done." He told him, watching as Fuu took Umi's hand. "That's two in one day. If they keep showing up at this rate, we'll have all our Magic Knights back by the end of the day."

Ferio nodded. "I still haven't found out what's going on. But whatever it is, it's powerful enough to summon them to Cephiro…"

There was a clatter and they turned to look at Primera, who was fuming. "I don't see why I have to help heal her!"

Ascot bent down, picking up the bowl of water Primera had dropped and cleaning up the spill with magic. "Because Lantis asked you to?"

Primera crossed her arms and mumbled. "Fine, I'm ready whenever you are."

Clef looked back at Ferio, who was busily watching Fuu. She had tears in her eyes now, and was whispering words of comfort to Umi.

"Fuu?" He put a hand on her shoulder, "If you want Umi to get better, we have to go so they can work their magic."

She nodded, reluctantly letting go of Umi's hand.

"She'll be better in no time," Ascot assured her softly as Ferio lead her out of the room.

She forced a smile, and with another glance back at Umi, left the room.

To Be Continued…


	8. Awakening

Here I Am

Chapter Eight - Awakening

By Crow Skywalker

----------

Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Okay, I know Nova was made from Hikaru and she was Hikaru's opposite and all – I'm not quite sure how her and Hikaru got back together though. I don't think that really matters to this fic though…I think Nova would jump at the chance to have her own life, and not have to worry about being connected to anyone. Besides, she has little memories of what happened…so it doesn't really matter ;P Sorry if it's confusing/screwed up though – I just liked the idea. Oh and yeah, this is the last chapter for a while :P taking her break I won't be gone long though. R&R, and most of all – enjoy!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

It was dark when she awoke, but it wasn't too late because she could hear voices. She struggled to grasp who was talking, but her mind was still half asleep and her eyes refused to open. Instead she groaned, wishing the throbbing in her head would stop, or at least the voices would shut up and let her sleep.

"Primera! Shh!" Hushed a male voice, "She's waking up!"

"Hmph!" A small feminine voice answered.

Umi tried to tug the covers over her head at this point in attempt to try to block out the noise. Instead she felt pain shoot up her arms, and she clenched her teeth as she dropped the covers.

"Oww.." She moaned.

"Umi?" That same masculine voice sounded worried, "Can you hear me? Do you need anything?"

"Hurts.." She mumbled, her eyes still closed.

Someone took her hand. "You were in bad shape…but you're going to be fine now. Clef fixed you up."

_Clef..?_ Her mind was a blur. She couldn't remember who she was, never mind who this Clef person was…

"Umi?" Whoever was talking to her shifted uncomfortably, "Do you…do you remember what happened?"

She had a mind to snap at the person 'Of course not! I don't even remember where I am!', but she felt too weak to do so. She felt another searing pain go through her head, and she must have flinched because whoever was holding her hand let go.

"Umi…" He started as the pain ripped through her and unconsciousness took over her once again.

-----

"Gone again, is she?" Primera asked, looking over Ascot's shoulder at the blue haired girl. Umi was looking a lot better since Clef had healed her but she was obviously still in a lot of pain. Clef had told them it would take a while for her to come to, but Ascot had insisted on staying even after the procedures.

He nodded, staring down at his sleeping beauty. Even after all of these years he still felt something for her, even if she didn't return those feelings. It was hard not to love her – she was strong, outgoing, and always spoke her mind. On top of that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and she would forever have his heart.

"See?" Primera scoffed, "Clef told you it would take her a while to fully wake up!" She landed on his shoulder, arms crossed as she angrily looked at him, "Go get some sleep! It's getting late!"

"I can't." He told her, and he shook his head. No, he couldn't leave her in this state. He wanted to be there when she opened her eyes, he wanted to see those eyes that were as blue and as deep as the ocean itself.

"And why not?" She demanded.

"You wouldn't understand." He said simply, and she fumed. But before she could open her mouth to say more, he asked, "Why are you still here? I thought you'd be off chasing after Lantis by now. It's not like you wanted to help her in the first place."

"Lantis is busy," She sighed, sitting on his shoulder now. "And I never said I didn't want to help her – I just.."

The door opened then, and Presea stepped in followed by a small bundle of fur. She closed the door behind her, smiling lightly as she turned to them.

"Mokona!" Primera stared at the puff ball in fear. "You stay where you are!"

"Puu!" It hopped up onto Umi's bed and seemed to eye the small fairy before turning and looking down at Umi. "Puu…"

"How's she doing?" Presea asked in a quiet voice.

"She was conscious a few moments ago," Ascot informed her, his eyes never leaving Umi, "But she hasn't opened her eyes."

Presea nodded, looking down at her old friend. Silence fell between them.

"Clef told us what was going on this morning, once everyone was up and at the breakfast table." Presea finally said, "I must say, I was very surprised to arrive at the table to find Fuu sitting there talking with everyone. I thought I was dreaming at first – I never expected to see the Magic Knights again after the pillar was destroyed."

"Me neither." Ascot admitted, "But two of them have returned."

"Clef has told us to keep an eye out for Hikaru – he expects her to show up at any time now." Presea sat on Umi's bed next to Mokona, who was looking at Umi sadly. She smiled slightly, reaching out and ruffling the hair on its head. "Don't worry Mokona, she'll be up and trying to kill you in no time."

"Puu!" His ears shot up and he didn't seem as sad anymore.

Ascot smiled at this as Primera cowered, and Presea laughed.

"Anyway, I was sent here to watch Umi and to make sure you got some rest," She told him, and cut him off as she began to protest, "The healing process was long, and it took a lot out of Clef…that's why he's been resting most of the day. I'm sure you and Primera are pretty tired too. Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing happens to her."

Ascot sighed, knowing there was no way to persuade Presea into letting him stay any longer. She was right too, he was pretty tired after using so much magic. "Fine," He gave in, "But –"

"If she wakes up, I'll tell her you were here, don't worry." Presea smiled, shooing him out of the room. "Get some sleep, she'll probably be awake in the morning and you don't want to look like something the cat dragged in."

He gave her a small smile before disappearing from the room and into the growing darkness of the room, Primera still on his shoulder.

Presea sighed, sitting in the chair that Ascot had been sitting in before he had left.

"Puu?" Mokona looked up at her as her gaze fell on Umi, studying her.

"Ferio still doesn't know why the Magic Knights are suddenly turning up." She said softly, pulling the covers back up over Umi. "I'm worried Mokona – something big is going to happen, and we're not prepared."

She took Umi's hand into her own, rubbing her thumb gently up and down the girl's cool skin. _Get better Magic Knight of Water…we may need you soon. Sooner than we'd all like to think._

-----

The room was dark, and a dim light cast shadows across the walls. Machines were everywhere, some flashing while others glowed red or green. In the middle of the room sat several large tanks, big enough to fit a person inside each of them. They were filled with a dark green see through liquid that bubbled and churned with the flash of the lights overhead.

He stood over one of these tanks, staring down at it with a smile. _Her body is finished now - all I need to do is add the soul and alter the memories._

He moved to open the tank, and it hissed in response as gas was let out. Once the door was open, he stopped, staring down at the occupant of the tank.

It was female, slender with all the right curves, and had long flowing pink hair and a pretty face.

He held out a hand, moving it just above her heart, and his smile turned cold as darkness grew beneath his hand, growing so that it touched her skin and consumed her; touched her soul. Her body arched as it intensified, and he grinned wildly. He really enjoyed this part, this was when they always woke up, and each time was a new experience.

Her eyelids snapped open revealing ruby red eyes, almost the color of blood, and her lips parted slightly. The darkness stopped, and it was almost as if she absorbed what was left of it. She gasped for breath, sitting up in the green goo.

"You may be a bit disoriented for a bit," He told her. _Alcione sure was_, he thought with amusement. "But you shall regain your strength quickly." He then added, "My name is Innova."

"Where…where am I?" She asked.

"It's not a question of where," He told her, "It's who."

"I..I.."

He ignored her stuttering and continued, "I've given you another chance at life – you are no longer connected to anyone. You can move and think for yourself," he told her, and she looked at him as if she remembered something vaguely, "A new life."

She nodded slowly, returning her gaze to herself. She raised her hands, staring at them in bewilderment.

"I ask for only one thing," He went on to say, "Your service. I'm building…an army of sorts, and I've chosen you to be one of my generals. I've given you life, now I ask for a favor in return. Serve me until what I wish to do is complete, and I shall let you go and you can live your life peacefully"

Her eyes flashed from her hands to him. A life of her own…somewhere, deep inside her, something told her she wanted this. A feeling she didn't quite know, like a memory from the past.

"What do you say?" He asked her, and she looked back to her hands. She unclenched them and did it again. It felt good to be alive, and that's all that she cared about at the moment.

She nodded, and he laughed. Not a laugh of happiness, but a cruel one.

"I knew you wouldn't turn my offer down." He turned, sensing the presence of another. "Alcione! Get her some clothes! And make them some nice ones," He turned back to the female who was still naked and sitting up in the tank, "I want only the best for my new general."

The girl looked up, a smile on her face as Alcione returned with some clothes. She sneered at the girl as she handed them to her.

"I have some things to attend to now," He told both of them, "Alcione, see that she gets settled in." He turned to leave, but stopped as he reached the only door in the room. Turning his head to look over his shoulder, he smiled coldly. "Oh, and Nova? Welcome back."

With that, he was gone.

To Be Continued…


	9. Missing

Here I Am

Chapter Nine - Missing

By Crow Skywalker

----------

Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Haha…yeah, I'm back. Not for long though, because I'm going camping this week. There will be more updates after that though, so don't worry. My birthday was yesterday…had a great time. 17 now – may my writing improve with a new year! ^_~ Anyway, enjoy! No more new characters after this…we leave Earth behind! ^_^ R&R, and enjoy!

Author's Note #2 - I read somewhere that Eagle dies in the anime, but is put into a coma in the manga. Hahaha…what do you want? Eagle dead and brought back to life as one of Innova's generals (I can do a mass amount of Eagle/Hikaru with that ^_~) or him in a coma still? Hmm…I choose first option, but I'll see what you guys think first :P Review and let me know!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

Hikaru dragged herself out of bed early the next morning, still half asleep. After the dream she had had the night before, she had gotten next to no sleep at all. She needed to talk to Fuu about her dream, and she had to talk to her now. So ignoring the dizziness as she jumped out of bed, she quickly dressed and searched her messy room for the phone.

"Come on," She cried, exasperated, "where are you?" 

She found the phone under a pile of clothes. "There you are!"

Gripping the phone tightly, she dialed Fuu's number. It rang three times before someone picked up.

"Good morning," She said as happily as she could, "Is Fuu there?"

There was a choked sob on the other side of the phone.

"Hello?" Hikaru asked again.

"I'm sorry, but Fuu can't come to the phone right now." The voice, which was feminine, finally answered.

"Oh," Hikaru paused, "When would be a good time to phone back?"

The woman on the other side of the phone started to cry then, and Hikaru blinked in confusion. "Mrs. Hououji?"

"I have to go." The elder woman answered, and Hikaru was left listening to the dial tone.

Moving the phone away from her ear, Hikaru stared at the phone. What was going on?

-----

It was a dreary day, cloudy and dark and threatening to rain. All of this added to Mrs. Hououji's mood, who was silently crying in her husband's arms while the police questioned them.

They had both woken up early like they always did to get ready for work, and Mrs. Hououji had knocked on Fuu's door. Fuu was normally up before both of them, but she was known to sleep in when she was stressed out. Mrs. Hououji had thought this was why Fuu wasn't anywhere to be seen, and had gone to wake her daughter.

The room had been empty, and the police had suspected that she hadn't even slept there that night. The bed was still made, and only a nearby teddy bear had been moved from its original spot. Her clothes and everything were still there, and nothing was missing besides Fuu herself.

"You say she came home late last night?" Asked a female police officer, scribbling down notes as she spoke. 

Outside the lights on the police car flashed, lighting up the room, and it seemed the rain was finally starting to fall. Mrs. Hououji stared out the window from her husband's arms, seeing everything through blurry tear filled eyes.

"Yes." Mr. Hououji nodded, gently rubbing his wife's back in hopes to comfort her.

"Does she have a friend…boyfriend, maybe, that she might have run away with?" Questioned the police officer.

"Not that I know of," he shook his head, "Fuu wouldn't have run away…she had no reason to."

"Did you speak with her last night when she arrived home?" The officer scribbled down more notes.

"Y-yes but.." Mr. Hououji started, but the officer held up her hand.

"What did you talk about? Perhaps that's what upset her and caused her to run away."

Mr. Hououji's face turned red, and he glared at the officer angrily. "My daughter did not run away!"

Mrs. Hououji seemed to come out of her daze then, and started to cry once more. "My poor Fuu…"

This is how Hikaru found the Hououji's when she finally arrived. After she had called, she had caught the next bus and had hurried over. As she stepped off the bus and into the rain she was greeted by the blinking lights of a police car, and at once she had known something was wrong.

She hadn't bothered to knock, she had just entered to find the scene before her. Mr. Houhouji red with anger, Mrs. Hououji in his arms crying, and a police officer standing before them with a note book in her hand. Hikaru stared at them, wide eyed.

"What happened? Where's Fuu?" She asked, scanning them only to find her blonde friend missing. "Where is she?"

The Hououji's stared at her silently, and Hikaru desperately looked to the police officer for any information.

"Are you a friend of Fuu Hououji's?" Asked the officer, turning to Hikaru.

"Yes," Hikaru nodded, "Why? Where is she?"

"May I talk to you in private?" She ignored Hikaru's questions, and Hikaru hesitated before nodding.

-----

Hikaru followed the police officer into the kitchen, away from the Hououji's, who were busy crying and seeking comfort in each other. She hesitated, watching the female police officer as she walked around the kitchen table and took a seat. Hikaru sat across from her.

"Please," Hikaru begged, "Tell me what's going on!"

The officer sighed, laying her pen and paper down on the table. "It seems Fuu Hououji has gone missing," at this, Hikaru raised a hand to her mouth and gasped, "Mrs. Hououji went to wake her up this morning, and she wasn't there."

"But," Hikaru managed to ask, "Where is she?"

"We think she ran away, but the parents keep insisting the girl would never do anything like that." The police officer shook her head. "We deal with runaways all the time, but in this case it's very unusual. Her things are still here, and the door was still heavily locked from the inside this morning. There was no way for her to leave, unless she crawled out her window…and she couldn't have done that either, her room is two stories up."

Hikaru half listened, everything was a daze to her. She caught bits and pieces of what the woman had just said, but none of it processed in her head. Finally she was brought out of her daze.

"You're a friend of Fuu's, right?" At this Hikaru nodded, "May I ask your name?"

"Hikaru Shidou," She replied.

"Well Hikaru, my name is Sheara, and I'd like to ask you some questions if that's okay?" Sheara gave her an encouraging smile, and laid a hand on Hikaru's clamped hands. "It won't take long."

Hikaru looked down, realizing she had been clenching her hands together so tightly that her fingers were turning white. 

"Sure." She replied in a small voice.

"Were you close to Fuu?" Asked Sheara, picking up her note book once more.

"Yes, Fuu and I have been friends for years now," Hikaru answered automatically, "We met on a school trip back in high school…but the past few years we've lost touch."

"I see," Sheara nodded, noting something in her book, "And when was the last time you saw Fuu?"

"I saw…I…" _I saw her only yesterday…less than 24 hours ago…_ Hikaru couldn't hold it in anymore. She burst into tears.

"Hey, hey…don't cry!" Sheara reached out and patted the younger girl's shoulder. "We'll find her, don't worry!"

"I saw her yesterday," Hikaru finally choked out, "We spent the day together…our friend…Umi Ryuuzaki…she went missing too. I called her up…told her to skip classes and meet me at Tokyo Tower, and I told her Umi's room mate had reported Umi missing…"

"Umi Ryuuzaki?" Sheara wrote down the name mumbling, "I'll have to check up on that."

Hikaru covered her face with her hands, letting the tears fall. "We didn't get home until late…and later on I had.." Her dream flashed back into her head, and she cried harder. She really _was_ alone now.

"You..?" Sheara pushed her.

"Had a stupid dream," Hikaru lied, "And I phoned this morning to tell Fuu about it…and I realized something was wrong right away, so I came by.." Whatever else she was going to say, she was sobbing to hard now to continue. She listened as Sheara scribbled notes, and felt the tears make their way down her face.

"Well Hikaru, I think that's fine for now." The police officer stood, giving Hikaru a small smile, "We'll find her."

She left the kitchen then, leaving Hikaru to cry by herself. 

After the dream she had the night before, Hikaru had been left scared, but she had known that she wasn't totally alone, not as long as she had Fuu. Now that small comfort was gone, because Fuu had mysteriously disappeared.

__

Fuu? She cried in her head, _Where are you? I know you'd never go anywhere like this without telling me…especially after Umi disappeared!_ She clenched her eyes together tightly, causing more tears to pour down her face. Fuu…Umi…they were both gone now, but where had they gone?

Cephiro… 

Her eyes widened, and she sat up. Her dream! In her dream, she had been in Cephiro's palace! Could her dream have been trying to tell her something, or was it just completely random that she had been walking through the palace halls in her dream? An if Fuu and Umi were there, how did they get there?

She shook her head. _That's insane…they can't be in Cephiro!_

Closing her eyes, she lay her head down on the table. The table was cool and refreshing against her forehead, but it didn't calm the sadness and worry that was in her heart. She was alone now. All her friends were gone, and she was truly alone.

Gathering her memories of Fuu and Umi, she pictured them smiling in her head. Cephiro palace stood behind them, and slowly familiar faces that Hikaru had thought she had forgotten started to appear beside the two girls. In this time of heartache and loneliness, Hikaru wished she could be there, smiling and happy like they were.

When Sheara returned to offer Hikaru a ride home, she found the kitchen empty. Hikaru was gone.

To Be Continued…


	10. Hikaru's Return

Here I Am

Chapter Ten – Hikaru's Return

By Crow Skywalker

----------

Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Well, since nobody answered my last question, I went ahead and made Eagle evil. Hahaha…*is bad* You might also hate me for this – I've changed the pairings slightly ^^; Don't worry, they will all end up with the ones I had intended in the first place. I just want to do some Eagle/Hikaru scenes :P I might also add some really strange pairings that I don't think have been done before, so watch out for those ^_~ I'm thinking maybe some one sided Innova/Umi, and perhaps Eagle/Nova in the end ;P Yes, I *am* crazy! I just hope people will keep reading, even if I decide to go through with it. Heheheh…yeah. So R&R, and enjoy! Don't know when the next chapter will be out, but I'm on a writing ramage!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

It was late afternoon and the table in the main dining room, which was a large and elegant room, was set for supper. In the middle of the table sat Cephiro's prince Ferio, whom was dressed in his normal prince attire. To his right sat the most powerful mage in Cephiro, Clef, and to his right sat Fuu. Caldina, Larfarga, Ascot, Lantis and everyone else sat around the table chatting eagerly about the return of the Magic Knights.

Fuu sat silently, idly moving her food around with a fork. She was glad to be back, but there were still a ton of unanswered questions, and nobody seemed to know the answer, which disturbed her greatly.

"Fuu?" A soft voice came from beside her, and Fuu glanced up to meet Ferio's worried gaze. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I'm a little worried about Umi…she still hasn't woken up yet."

He gave her a small smile. "Don't worry, she'll wake up soon."

A loud laugh startled Fuu out of her melancholy mood a few moments after, and she looked up to see Caldina tickling Ascot, who was trying to push her away with no avail.

"Laugh, Ascot!" Caldina attacked him again, "Come on! Let me hear it!"

He tried to push her hands away, but he wasn't fast enough. 

"Caldina! Stop!" He managed to say as he struggled, "This is no time for laughter!"

"It's the perfect time for laughter!" She insisted, "Everyone's so down! Laugh, come on!"

Fuu smiled, watching the two. Ascot finally gave in, and he laughed.

"Okay, okay!" He laughed, "Stop it!"

"See?" She grinned, "Now didn't that feel good?"

Anything he was about to say was cut off as he looked up, and his eyes suddenly widened. Fuu blinked, following his gaze to the main entrance to the dining hall, and her mouth dropped open. Standing there was a familiar girl her age with red hair, watching as everyone turned to look at her.

"Uhm…hi?" She said meekly, waving a hand.

"Hikaru?" Fuu's grinned, jumping to her feet and running to her friend. When she reached her she hugged her tightly, "Hikaru!"

Hikaru embraced the other girl, holding onto her for dear life. She had arrived in Cephiro only moments before out in the garden, and had made her way inside. At first she thought she was dreaming again, but now as she hugged Fuu, she knew it was real. She was finally home.

"I was so afraid I'd never see you again," She admitted to Fuu, "Your parents…they said you'd run away!"

Fuu pulled away, smiling at her friend. "No…I returned home. My true home." She moved away from Hikaru, and Hikaru was greeted by the rest of the people who had been sitting at the table.

"Hikaru! Welcome back!" Presea hugged her tightly and Mokona jumped into Hikaru's arms. She hugged them both, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes. She sniffed, trying to hold them back, but she was just so happy!

"I missed you guys!" She told them as they pulled away and others came to greet her.

"Looking good!" Caldina winked, giving her a small hug as well. Beside her, Larfarga nodded his greeting.

The happy hello's and hugs continued, until finally someone dressed in dark armor stepped forward.

"Lantis." Hikaru smiled, unsure if she should hug him or not. She had grown a bit taller since she had last seen him, so it was now a lot easier task. Standing on the tips of her toes, she reached out and put her arms around his neck, pulling him close. "I missed you most of all."

There was a 'hmph', and Hikaru pulled away to see Primera sitting on his shoulder glaring at her, her arms crossed. Hikaru grinned.

"I even missed you, Primera!"

Lantis smiled down at her then. "Welcome back, Hikaru."

"It's good to be back!" She turned to her friends, and she smiled blissfully.

-----

He stood outside one of the grand windows, covered in the shadows provided as he stared in at the happy occasion. The slight breeze rustled his silvery white hair, and his cape bellowed softly in the wind. He paid no attention to this, nor the happy smiling faces as he stared in through the window. Something had caught his eye, and he found it hard to look away.

__

So the last Magic Knight has arrived, he thought smugly, staring at her from the distance. There was something about her, something he couldn't quite put his finger on, but he felt like he was drawn to her. _The Magic Knight of Fire_, he raised a hand and put it against the glass, feeling the cool smooth surface beneath his hands. _Innova will be pleased._

He watched as the red headed Magic Knight hugged the man in black, and he suddenly felt a strange feeling go through him. What was that? It felt like…jealousy? But he had no reason to be jealous, he didn't even know the girl. _Strange,_ he thought, shaking it off. _There's something familiar about her._

"Eagle!" Came a voice in his head, and all previous thoughts vanished.

"What?" He spoke out loud, careful not to make any moves that would draw attention to himself and he kept his voice low.

__

"You will address me as you should!" Barked the voice, and Eagle shook his head.

"Sorry Lord Innova." He said, "How may I help you?"

__

"That's better. I would expect all my generals to treat me with some respect – I did give each of you life, didn't I?" Answered the voice of Innova in his head.

"Yes, my Lord." Replied Eagle, rolling his eyes. He was glad Innova couldn't see that, he would definitely get punished for it.

"Now report to me." 

"Will do." He answered, and he felt the connection drop. He was alone with his own thoughts again. With a sigh, he pushed away from the window, carefully moving so that he was out of sight. Once that was done, he summoned the power that he had been given, and vanished.

-----

He appeared in a dark room, completely dark except for a glowing crystal that lit up the throne that sat not too far away. Upon the throne sat Innova, who was glaring at him impatiently. He stepped foreword until the light was casting its glow upon him, and he hesitated slightly.

"Well?" Innova asked.

"The Magic Knights have returned, just as you planned," Eagle informed him, "The Magic Knight of Fire arrived moments ago, and the other two are already here."

Innova put a finger to his lips, looking thoughtful. "Yes, my plan worked. But do they suspect anything?"

"Of course my Lord, but they have no idea what's going on. All they know is that the Magic Knights are suddenly showing up, and although the Prince and Master Mage have looked into it, they still don't suspect a thing."

"That's great news, thank you Eagle." Innova stood, walking towards the crystal, "Now, what should we do next.."

It was then that Alcione stepped forward from the darkness, a strange smile set upon her face. Innova briefly looked up at her.

"What do you want?"

"If I may, my Lord," She bowed slightly, gaining his interest, "I've come to you with something that might interest you."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. He was definitely interested now.

"Yes, it seems the Magic Knight of Water had an accident when she arrived here, and she is very weak at the moment. If you're looking to attack, now is the time. Attack her now while she's still unconscious."

Innova looked at Eagle, who was busily glaring at the woman. "Is this true, Eagle? Is the Magic Knight of Water hurt?"

"Yes." He said, looking back at the one he served.

"And you did not tell me?" Innova asked, venom in his voice.

Eagle shot another dirty look at Alcione before looking down. "I did not think it was important, my Lord."

"That's right, you did not think!" Innova spat. "For that, I shall give you the next task. Fail me, and you will wish you had never been brought back from the dead!"

"Yes, my Lord," Eagle winced, keeping his head down, "What is my task?"

"Bring me the Magic Knight of Water."

To Be Continued…


	11. Gone

Here I Am

Chapter Eleven - Gone

By Crow Skywalker

----------

Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Heh. Another chapter. I'm not sure if anyone reads my author notes, but I'm sure I scared a few people away with the last one, lol. *Shrugs* I plan I continuing, even if no one likes it. Anyway, R&R ^_^

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

The room was loud with voices as everyone whispered and talked. After Hikaru had arrived and everyone had welcomed her back, they had all returned to their seats at the table, and a chair had been drawn next to Fuu for Hikaru to sit down. She sat there now, grinning widely at her old friends as she answered their questions.

Fuu sat next to her, keeping a close eye on her friend as she talked animatedly to Presea, who had asked her about college. She seemed so happy to be back, and Fuu was hesitant to tell her the bad news.

"Umi's here." She slipped suddenly, and Hikaru stopped talking to look at her.

"Umi?" She blinked and then smiled, "So this is where she went!"

Fuu didn't smile in return, nor did anyone speak, and Hikaru's smile faded. "Where is she? She's not here.."

"I'm afraid there's been an accident," Clef spoke up, and Hikaru looked at him, her eyes wide.

"An accident?" She breathed.

"Unlike you and Fuu, it seems Umi chose the old way of arriving," He informed her, looking down, "She fell from the sky, and nobody was there to save her."

Hikaru rose to her feet now, her hands clenching the tablecloth. "But she's okay…right?"

Lantis, who had been sitting next to her, put a hand on her shoulder. "Sit, Hikaru. She's fine."

Hikaru obeyed, but kept her eyes on Clef.

He nodded. "She's still unconscious, but she'll be okay."

Hikaru sighed in relief, looking down at the plate before her. "I'm relieved, but I must go see her!"

"You must eat, Hikaru. Regain your strength." Lantis gave her a small smile, and she blushed, "Umi will be there when you finish."

She nodded, looking away.

"She'll be so happy to see you when she wakes up," Fuu smiled at her, and Hikaru forced her own smile.

"And I'll be happy to see that she's okay."

-----

However powerful the magic that Innova had bestowed upon him, Eagle still couldn't get into the palace walls with it. He had to go in the old way, through the door, which was also the most dangerous way. If he wasn't careful, he'd most certainly be caught.

Getting past the two guards in front were easy. They were busily walking around the outside of the palace, keeping a watchful eye. All he had to do was wait until both of them were out of sight before he made his first move, and he saw his first chance when they headed towards the gardens. With the main entrance unguarded, it had been only easy to sneak in.

Now, standing in one of the elegant hallways, he had yet another problem – where was the Magic Knight of Water staying? He silently cursed himself for not finding out before he had gone ahead and entered the palace.

Peering around a corner, he heard the sounds of talking and laughter, and immediately headed in the opposite direction. The voices were coming from the dining hall, and he most certainly didn't want to end up there. So, as quietly as he could, he headed the other way.

-----

Larfarga was the first to finish his meal, and standing with a bow, he excused himself.

"I must be going, there's much to do." He told them, and he gave Caldina a small smile before he left the room.

Hikaru stood also, having finished her meal. "Can I go see her now?" She asked.

Fuu stood as well, and they were about to leave the table when Clef stopped them.

"Actually, Magic Knights, I would like to speak to you."

Both girls turned to look at him, eyebrows raised in question. Clef and Ferio exchanged glances before he continued, "I have some questions…about what happened and how you got here."

Fuu looked at Hikaru, "Umi's still unconscious, and this may be important…"

The red head nodded. "It can wait. Where do you wish to see us, Clef?"

Clef stood now, and Ferio followed. "My study."

Both Magic Knights nodded, following Clef as he left the dining hall.

-----

Eagle hesitated, looking up at a portrait that hung from the wall. A beautiful girl dressed in white stood smiling out at him, emerald jewels decorating her clothes and head. He studied the picture for a moment, reaching out with one hand as if to touch it. There was something hauntingly familiar about the girl, whomever she was.

__

It feels like I've seen her before…a long time ago.. He touched the painting, expecting something to happen, but it didn't. He pulled away then, shaking his head. Perhaps it was just his imagination.

The sound of footsteps coming down the hall alerted him that someone was coming, and his gaze was forced away from the portrait. Looking up and down the hall, he decided to hide behind one of the curtains that fell from the many pillars that stood in the hall. He pulled it around himself, peering through a crack as a large man with blonde hair walked past. He sighed in relief as the footsteps died away.

He was about to pull the curtains away when the sound of voices stopped him, and he quickly held his breath as the Prince of Cephiro, the Master Mage, and two Magic Knights passed him. The two men were silent, while the two girls trailed behind whispering to each other.

"What do you think is going on?" The one with the red hair, the Magic Knight of Fire, asked, and Eagle's gaze caught her again. The same sense of familiarity went through him again, and he brushed it off.

"Don't know," The blonde, the Magic Knight of Wind, whispered back.

The whispering continued as they walked, and soon, Eagle couldn't hear their voices anymore. Finally stepping out from behind the curtains, he continued on his way.

__

She has to be staying in the guest rooms, he thought as he ventured down the hall, and oddly, he knew where the guestrooms were.

-----

They entered the room, which was only small and held a wall full of books and a table in the corner There was a large window near the table that let out into a balcony, and Hikaru made her way over to look out through it.

"I can't believe I'm back," She murmured, staring out at the land.

"That's what we're here to talk about." Said Clef as he closed the door behind him. Both of the girls turned towards him now, waiting for him to speak. However, Ferio was the one to continue.

"You both know the Pillar was destroyed, and the Pillar is what summons the magic Knights to Cephiro." He told them, and they nodded, "So there's no way you can be here, unless something very powerful summoned you back."

Fuu blinked, "But what would be that powerful?" She asked.

"Something evil." Clef shook his head, "And we have no idea what it is."

"Well," Hikaru clenched her hands together and punched the air, "I'm sure we can handle it!"

Fuu ignored Hikaru, and asked, "So it was magic that summoned us back?"

"We think so." Answered Ferio.

"Oh," She nodded, "I thought it was…"

"Was what?"

"Well, I thought it was because I wished to return," She finished, and both men gave her a look that told her to continue, "I mean, I wished to come back to Cephiro, and when I opened my eyes, here I was!"

Hikaru stopped what she was doing, staring at Fuu with wide eyes. "Me too!"

"Clef," Fuu looked up at the Master Mage of Cephiro, "Is it possible that our wishes brought us back?"

Clef looked thoughtful. "It's possible, yes, but only…" He stopped, and everyone was looking at him now, "Only if a powerful spell is done."

"So either way, it's a spell?" Asked Ferio, and Clef nodded.

"A very dark and powerful one." He confirmed, then looked up at the magic Knights, "Whatever it is, it called you here for a purpose. You must be ready. I will have Presea make you weapons."

Both girls nodded, and after a moment of silence, Hikaru finally asked:

"Can I go see Umi now?"

Clef nodded, and a small smile spread over Hikaru's lips. "Thanks."

She made to leave, and Fuu followed after her. "I'll come with you."

Leaving Clef and Ferio behind to talk things over, they made their way down the hall to where Umi was staying, Hikaru almost skipping with joy. She couldn't wait to see Umi – it had been so long!

She was the first to the door, and she opened it with a big grin on her face. "Umi!"

She blinked, staring at the bed, and Fuu grabbed hold of her as her eyes widened. 

The bed was empty.

Umi was gone.

To Be Continued…


	12. Kidnapping

Here I Am

Chapter Twelve - Kidnapping

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Hmm…I've gotten two reviews for the last two chapters. I'm beginning to think I really did scare everyone off, lol. Or perhaps this story is really starting to suck, and nobody likes where it's going. *Shrugs* Oh well. Was thinking about the whole Umi/Innova thing…I think I might have changed my mind. Am leaning towards a Umi/Eagle friendship now. And yes, Eagle will turn out good in the end. He's going to be very…helpful ;P Anyway, I hate this chapter…I don't like how it turned out at all. Meh…oh well. Not like anyone's still reading anyway, lol. See you next time!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

The bed was empty, the sheets hauled back and crumpled. The room was totally empty and nothing moved, except for the curtains of the window that lead to the balcony. Umi was gone, and there was no trace of her.

Fuu stood motionless, staring at the scene before her. There was no way Umi could have gotten up and wandered off, she had been unconscious when she had come to check on the blue haired girl earlier! So where was she?

"Fuu?" Hikaru looked back at her with wide eyes, all sorts of questions running through them.

"I…" Fuu started, looking from the empty bed to her friend, "I think we should get Clef and Ferio."

Hikaru nodded, and both girls took off down the hall the way they had just come.

-----

Eagle stood outside the balcony windows just out of sight, relaxing slightly as he heard the two girls leave. He sighed, shaking his head. He had almost been caught.

Finding Umi's room was only easy once he had realized she would be in one of the guestrooms. How he knew where the guestrooms were, he didn't question, but he had finally found Umi in one of the larger ones. She had been unconscious, of course, and he had quickly entered the room and closed the door behind him. Kidnapping her from there had only been easy, but the one thing he hadn't expected was the Magic Knights showing up so soon.

He had gently picked her up, cradling her in his arms as her head leaned against his shoulder. Her blue hair cascaded around her face, and for a moment Eagle had stopped to stare at her. 

__

She looks so familiar…why does everything seem so familiar to me?? He shook his head roughly. _It's like I knew these people…I've seen them all before somewhere! But where?_ Had he seen them in his past life? He didn't know much about his life before he died, and Innova hadn't given him any information. He had simply woken up, and had been offered a place at Innova's side. With no identity and no past, he was forced to accept. All he knew was his name.

He hesitated, looking down at the girl again. Why was Innova so intent on killing the Magic Knights? Who were they really, and what had they done? This, Eagle didn't know. All he knew was that as one of Innova's generals, his one and only purpose was to destroy the Magic Knights.

__

But how can I hurt them when I keep getting this feeling whenever I see them? He thought, _the feeling that I know them…it's possible they're my only link to my past._ He shook his head, _especially the red head…were we…friends before I died? The guy in black was familiar too…_

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the two girls making their way down the hall towards him. He had quickly looked for a way to escape.

The balcony door had been locked, and he easily opened it from the inside. Slipping out, he hadn't had enough time to close the doors before the two girls had barged in, and he held his breath as he heard the voices die down.

The girl in his arms moved slightly, and he almost dropped her. He watched as she cuddled closer into him, her eyes never opening, and he silently cursed himself. _Damn it, I have to get out of here!_

He shifted her in his arms, and she groaned slightly. She was waking up!

The room was silent again, and he peeked in to see they had left, most likely gone to get the Prince and Guru. He sighed in relief, he hadn't been caught. Looking down at the girl in his arms, Eagle vanished from sight.

-----

Ferio and Clef had been talking quietly when the girls arrived, both out of breath from running. They both looked up, their eyes questioning.

"It's Umi –" Fuu started, and Clef stood up.

"What about Umi?" He asked, unable to hide his concern.

"She's missing!" Hikaru finished for Fuu, and both of the men's eyes widened.

"Missing?" Ferio questioned.

"She's not in her room." Answered Fuu.

"That's impossible," Clef shook his head, "Even if she did wake up, she wouldn't be out of bed already. And she couldn't have just disappeared…"

"Well she's nowhere to be seen!" And Hikaru's eyes widened, "What if she was kidnapped?"

It was Ferio's turn to shake his head. "I highly doubt anyone could get in here without being noticed with so many people in the palace."

"But everyone was in the dining hall," Fuu pointed out, "So it is possible…"

They were making their way through the hall now, back to Umi's room as they talked. Clef lead them, and the other three fell behind. He was determined to make some sense of this.

"They could have come in through her window," Hikaru offered.

"The window was closed when I was in there this morning," Said Fuu, "Locked too!"

"Well it's open now," Sighed Clef, and they stopped talking and realized they had arrived, Clef was the first one in the room, and he quickly made his way across the room and out onto the balcony. He came back with a grim look on his face. "No one there."

"I'll go get Larfarga," Said Ferio, stepping around the two girls as they stood trying to take all of this in, "I'll step up the security, see what we can find."

"Do you think he'll find her?" Hikaru asked meekly when Ferio was gone. Fuu put a hand on her shoulder, and both girls looked to Clef for comfort. He offered none.

"I somehow doubt it." He answered, staring out through the balcony windows and off into the distance. _It has begun._

-----

He stood in the same black room that he had been in many times before, the crystal casting its white glow upon the throne. The only difference was that this time, he carried a girl in his arms, and Innova was looking quite pleased.

"So, you brought her?" He stood, making his way towards Eagle. Once he was in front of him, his gaze dropped to the blue haired beauty in Eagle's arms. He reached out, brushing a stray hair away from her face. "Pretty, isn't she? Her looks deceive her. She is a killer, just like the other two."

"Killer?" Eagle raised an eyebrow, looking down at the girl. She didn't seem capable of killing anyone.

Innova sneered at him in response. "She helped kill Zagato."

__

Zagato…Eagle knew that name from somewhere. He looked up at Innova then, but decided not to ask. It would most likely result in a punishment. "What do you plan on doing with her, my Lord?"

Innova turned, walking to the crystal and holding a hand out. He stared into for it for a moment, "Once the Magic Knights realize she's been kidnapped, they'll come looking for her." He told Eagle, "They'll have to embark on a long journey to find us, since our hideout is unknown. They'll most likely bring the Prince and Mage along, so we get rid of them first."

"That's where you come in," He continued, facing Eagle once more, "You and the generals. I want you to keep them on their toes, kill off any who journey with them. Leave the Magic Knights to me. _He_ will wish to see their painful deaths once he awakens."

Eagle nodded, shifting the girl in his arms. She moaned again, and her head moved to the side. "What do I do with her until then?" He asked.

Innova waved a hand, "Lock her up, put her in the dungeons! I don't care, as long as she doesn't escape."

Eagle nodded again. "As you wish."

Innova was back on his throne now, a frown upon his face. "And keep an eye on her, too. Wouldn't want her to starve to death or anything before I kill her myself." He paused for a moment. "You are dismissed."

Eagle bowed, taking his leave. Innova watched him as he left, a thoughtful look on his face. He was going to have to keep a close eye on that one. Eagle had been a good guy before he had died, and although his memory was wiped clean, Innova had a strange feeling it hadn't worked as well as it had on the other two.

He frowned, tilting his head as he looking into the glowing crystal. No worries, if Eagle did start to remember, he could easily erase his memories again. That, or he could kill him. A small dark smile made its way across his face. Yes, killing him would be nice.

To Be Continued…


	13. New Surroundings

Here I Am

Chapter Thirteen – New Surroundings

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Sorry it took so long for this chapter. I've been having writers block lately, and I haven't felt like writing. School starts next week, so expect even less updates then. So yeah, another chapter – and Umi finally wakes up! More Alcione and Nova in this chapter too, just because I like them and I wanted to write about them :P It's a pretty sucky chapter, but oh well. R&R, and enjoy – until next time! :)

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

She was cold, and she could faintly hear the steady sound of dripping, each drop making her more and more awake. She silently cursed the noise, wishing that Yukari would stop leaving the water on like that, and would make sure the knob was firmly turned so the tap wouldn't drip.

Another drip, and the sound sent shivers up her spine. She clenched her eyes tightly together, shivering. Her nice, warm blankets seemed to be missing. Who'd stolen her blankets? There was going to be hell to pay once she was fully awake…

Drip.

She was growing mad now, the noise was really annoying. That, and the fact she was sleeping on a cold, hard surface, and she would rather be in a nice warm, comfortable bed…

Drip.

She groaned, moving slightly, her hand moving across the stone floor. No, she knew for sure now she certainly wasn't back home in her bed.

Drip.

So where was she?

Drip.

__

Damn that facet! Her eyes snapped open, her brows narrowing as she glared in the direction the noise was coming from. Her vision was blurry, but it soon came into focus as she stared at a stone wall.

"Ah, so our heroine finally awakens." Came a female voice, and Umi tried to turn her head. The sudden movement caused spots to appear before her eyes, but she managed to roll over and look at whoever was speaking.

A woman dressed mostly in black and dark purple stood watching her, a sneer on her face as she glowered and the blue haired girl. It took Umi a minute to recognize her, but it finally clicked through her haze filled mind.

"Alcione?" She asked in a small voice, blinking and looking at the older woman more carefully. "That's impossible…you're dead."

The smirk on Alcione's face widened. "Well I was," She paused, "But I'm back now, ready to take my revenge!"

Umi blinked, the spots were returning. She was hurting all over, although she felt a lot better since the night she had spent in the woods. Had Larfarga brought her to the palace after? She didn't remember anything after that. And if she had been at the palace, then what was this place?

"Where am I?" She managed to ask, her eyes remaining closed as she lay on the cold stone floor.

"Can't tell you that, it'll ruin everything if you happened to escape and told your little friends." At this, Umi opened one eye to look up at Alcione, who was looking down at her with a evil smirk, "But I can tell you this – you're in a floating castle in the sky," She raised her hands then, indicating to the dungeon room, "And this is the last place you'll see before you die!" She laughed.

Umi clenched her eyes tightly against the pain as Alcione's laughter echoed through her head, her last words taunting her.

-----

Alcione left once she realized Umi was no longer conscious. There was no use taunting someone unless they were awake. Besides, it wasn't her job to take care of the girl anyway. She would have to find Eagle and tell him the girl had finally awoken long enough to speak, and send him to look after her from now on.

Walking down the dark corridors of the castle, which were lit with small burning candles that gave off next to no light, she made her way towards Eagle's room in the west wing. The west wing was where all of Innova's generals were currently staying, the east wing being full of Innova's equipment and experiments. Her mind immediately went to what was staying in that wing. Clad in black armor _he_ slept, ready to wake at any moment, and Alcione was eagerly awaiting that moment.

So deep in thought, she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her, and as she turned one of the many corners in the winding hallways, she bumped into someone.

"Watch where you're going!" She snapped, brushing off her clothes and not even bothering to look at the person she'd just banged into.

"Whatever." Answered a feminine voice, and Alcione finally looked up.

"Nova," She frowned, "What are you doing out wandering the halls at this hour?"

"What, am I not allowed out?" Nova snapped back, glaring at the older and taller woman, "What are _you_ doing out?"

"I had to tend to the prisoner," Alcione answered, arms crossed. She had only known the other girl for a few days, but she already hated her, "So what's your excuse?"

Nova looked away, obviously troubled. "Couldn't sleep," She mumbled.

Alcione laughed, and Nova shot her a dirty look. "So our great general Nova can't sleep?"

Nova looked insulted. "I have nightmares, okay?"

"Whatever." Alcione mocked her, stepping around her and continuing in the direction she had been going before she had been stopped. Nova watched her go, a frown upon her face.

She found him in his room, just like she had expected. He was lying on his bed, hands behind his head and his eyes closed. Alcione stood in the doorway for a second, studying him. How weird it was, to be working with an old enemy. Of course, he didn't know anything about it, but she did. Her memories were fine, unlike the others. She hadn't needed for them to be erased.

"Are you going to just stand there, or do you have something to say?" His voice startled her, she had thought he was asleep.

She sneered at his in response. As much as she hated Nova, she hated Eagle even more. He had become her rival, and she tried her best to outdo him in every way.

"The girl finally woke up," She replied, "I believe it's your job to watch her."

Eagle opened his eyes, giving Alcione a dark look. He made no move to get up.

She frowned at him, eyes narrowing. "Innova will be most displeased if you don't do what he says."

Eagle winced now, knowing she was right. If he didn't obey Innova, who knows what would happen. With a sigh, he got up, stretching before he made his way across the room to get his armor. Alcione watched him for a moment, an inferior smile upon her face before she turned and left. He glared after her.

-----

The palace was in an uproar. It wasn't often that someone snuck into the palace and actually got away with it. Usually the guards would have easily caught a trespasser, but with the arrival of the Magic Knights, security had been slacking.

"I can't believe this has happened," Ferio shook his head, letting it fall into his hands. His green hair fell over his stressed face, and the others couldn't help but feel sorry for him. After his sister's death, the job of being Prince had been thrust at him, and he was young and uncertain. Fuu laid a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up at her.

"I'm sure we'll find her. Umi's strong, whatever happened –" Fuu left off, seeing Larfarga enter the room. Ferio immediately stood up.

"Well?" He asked, a hopeful look across his face, "What did you find?"

"There was no sign of anything, my Prince." The blond man answered, "No sign of a struggle, no nothing."

"Damn!" Ferio cursed between his teeth.

"The guards did not see anything?" Asked Lantis, who had been comforting Hikaru up until then, "Anything at all?"

"Nothing." Larfarga confirmed.

Across the room, Ascot was silently shaking his head. "I should have stayed…"

Caldina, who was standing beside him, shook her head. "It's not your fault Ascot. It's no one's fault."

"Caldina's right," Said Presea, "And we'll find her, don't worry. Clef is working on it – he'll find something that will lead us to her."

"But what…if she's hurt out there somewhere?" Asked Ascot, looking up at Presea with troubled eyes, "What if they're hurting her right now? She could be dead by now…"

"Ascot!" Caldina scolded, "Don't say such things! You have to be optimistic!"

"How can I be, when Umi's missing?" He asked, "I don't see how you can be so calm about this either!"

"We have to stay calm," Presea whispered, and both Ascot and Caldina looked to her, "We have to be strong." She paused looking at Fuu and Hikaru, "We don't know what happened to Umi, but we must stay strong for the remaining Magic Knights. If they see how upset we are, they'll only get even more upset then they already are."

"Presea.." Ascot blinked, and then nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry.."

Presea looked at him with a small smile. "No need to apologize. I'm just as upset as you are, I'm just better at hiding it."

Ascot gave her a small smile in response.

"It's getting late," Said Caldina, looking out through one of the many palace windows, "We should rest. It's been one hell of a day."

"I don't think I can sleep, not after all this." Ascot said quietly, watching as Larfarga and Ferio continued to talk.

"Well you're going to." Caldina said, looking around the room. "We all need our sleep. We need to keep up our strength, for whatever's coming."

Presea silently agreed. Whatever the enemy's next move was, they needed to be prepared for it.

To Be Continued…


	14. Sleepless Night

Here I Am

Chapter Fourteen – Sleepless Night

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Started writing this chapter today, and I just couldn't stop. I think it's because I'm really obsessed with MKR again, so it's a lot easier to write ^_~ So yep, here's the next chapter…and I'm liking this one a lot. The ending's kind of a cliff hanger, but hey, I'm evil…gotta expect that stuff, lol. Anyway, I also want to say that I've finally got my MKR RPG going, if anyone's interested. We finally got a Hikaru and Fuu (I'm playing Umi) and we need everyone else. Email me for more details if you're interested…although my email has been going retarded all week. Leave a comment or something, maybe…up to you. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews…R&R, and I'll be seeing you next time! (And if you join my RPG, I'll be seeing you sooner! ^_~)

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

It was really late when Presea had suggested everyone should go to bed. _"To be able to find Umi, we need our sleep,"_ She had said. So everyone reluctantly returned to his or her rooms, all except for Larfarga and Lantis, who decided to step up security, especially around the other Magic Knight's rooms. Although whoever had kidnapped Umi would most likely not return, they still wanted to be sure nothing happened to the remaining Knights.

Hikaru lay in bed in her room, the same familiar room and bed she had slept in the last time she had been in Cephiro. Now, she lay staring up at that same familiar ceiling as well. She shut her eyes, memories of the past day flooding her mind.

She couldn't sleep, especially after today. She had finally gotten her wish, and had gotten sent back to the place she had missed dearly, back into the arms of her old friends. She had been happy to see them all, and their reunion had been great. She had cried with delight after seeing them all, since she had expected to never see them again. Seeing Fuu had been a great relief as well.

But then they had told her the bad news, that Umi was indeed here, but she was hurt. Hikaru had wanted to see her right then and there. She hadn't seen her friend since they had gone off to different colleges, and now was her chance. But they had insisted Umi wasn't going anywhere, and she had reluctantly sat and answered all their questions.

She had been so happy skipping down the hall afterwards, seeing Umi would complete everything. Being in Cephiro just wouldn't be the same without seeing Umi there as well. She had barged into the room, only to find it empty.

At first, she thought maybe Umi had just woken up and disappeared, but by the look of Fuu's face, she had known better. Something was wrong, she could sense it. The others had only confirmed her fears. Umi was gone, kidnapped from her own room.

Opening her eyes, Hikaru pulled the blankets tighter around her and rolled over, staring across the room and out through her balcony window. She had made sure it was locked tightly, of course, and she had no fear of disappearing during the night. The guards were watching over her, and Lantis had promised her he'd be nearby if she needed him.

But who was there for Umi when she needed someone? Hikaru forced tears back, she had cried too many times today. Her eyes stung with the salty liquid. Who was going to talk to Umi when she woke up and had no idea where she was? What if Umi was in some dark and lonely place, hungry and hurt?

Hikaru forced the blankets off of her, sitting up in bed. No, she couldn't sleep knowing Umi was out there somewhere. Pulling a robe over her silky pajamas, she tiptoed to her door and peeked out. The coast was clear.

Opening her door, she walked barefooted out into the main hall. The halls were empty, and there was an unearthly silence as she padded down the hall in the direction of Fuu's room. She was about to knock on the other girl's door when she heard a noise behind her, and with a small cry of fright, she turned.

She had to look up a bit, but even before she saw his face she knew who it was. "Lantis!" She scolded him in a small voice, careful not to wake up the Palace, "You scared me!"

"What are you doing out at this hour?" He asked with a questioning gaze. Hikaru soon realized she was standing there in her pajamas and blushed, folding her arms across her chest and pulling at her robe in attempt to cover herself.

"I couldn't sleep." She answered, unable to meet his gaze.

"You shouldn't be out wandering the halls like this," He replied, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Hikaru blushed harder, finally looking up at him. "Sorry, I just –"

"Fuu's probably awake as well." He interrupted her, looking to the door behind her, "Don't keep her up too long, you both need your sleep." He said, turning away from her with – what was that – a small smile? Hikaru smiled back at him gratefully.

"Thank you."

He disappeared into the dimly lit halls, leaving Hikaru staring after him. Shaking her head with that same smile, she turned back to the door and knocked. When a voice answered her, she entered. Fuu was sitting on the edge of her bed, a solemn look on her face.

"Hikaru?" She asked, finally looking up.

Hikaru sat next to her on the bed. "Couldn't sleep either, huh?" She asked.

Fuu shook her head. "I can't believe she just…disappeared like that, and nobody saw anything." She turned her head to look at her friend sitting beside her, "I didn't think anyone even knew she was here, besides us. I can't believe this happened."

They sat there quietly for a moment, neither feeling the urge to break the silence. Just sitting there together was comfort enough.

"Clef's been pretty busy since he found out," Hikaru finally said, "Think he'll be able to locate her?"

Fuu nodded. "Guru Clef is the most powerful Mage in Cephiro. I know he'll find her, but I can't help but worry, you know?"

Hikaru lay back on the bed, staring up at a ceiling so very much like hers. "Yeah. No matter how many times I tell myself Umi's strong, that she'll be okay…I still worry about her."

Fuu was lying beside her now, staring up at the same white ceiling. "Why do you…" She paused, as if the question was a hard one to asked, "Why do you think she stopped visiting us? After we returned home, the letters stopped, the phone calls stopped…it's like she wanted nothing to do with us."

Hikaru frowned, looking at Fuu from the corner of her eye. "I don't know..I always thought it was us, maybe she didn't want to be friends anymore. But I don't think that was it. Maybe leaving Cephiro for the second time was too upsetting for her, and talking to us only reminded her of what she left behind."

Fuu turned her head too look at her friend, a small smile on her lips. "You've grown very wise, Hikaru."

Hikaru returned the smile. "We've all grown, Fuu. We're not the same girls who dropped out of the sky all those years ago. We used to be so scared, so unsure of ourselves. All of that's changed now."

"We've become stronger." Fuu agreed, "And a whole lot wiser."

Silence fell between them again as they both thought this over. Then, rolling over onto her stomach and laying her chin in the palm of her hand to prop her head up, Hikaru grinned. "So, Fuu…what's going on with you and Ferio?" She asked, trying to forget her troubled thoughts and worries. Fuu blushed a deep shade of red.

"Hikaru!" She sat up, and both girls laughed. It felt good to laugh in a time like this.

-----

The dripping noise was once again bringing her back to the land of the living. It was a constant annoyance in her troubled sleep, and she clenched her eyes tightly as she found sleep drifting away from her.

__

No…don't want to wake up! She tried cuddling into the warmth of the blankets she thought were there, but only found the cold floor. The dripping continued.

"Stupid..drip.." She managed to hiss out between her teeth.

"Yes, we really should get that fixed." A voice answered her, and reality came back to Umi in a flash. She remembered now, she was in a dungeon in some castle, and Alcione had been mocking her…but this voice, it seemed different…

"I'll have my Lord look into having it fixed," Said the same voice, and it bitterly added, "Wouldn't want his precious prisoner dying of pneumonia or something, now would we?"

Umi moaned, blinking her eyes open only to be greeted by the wall. She tried to straighten out her legs, but they hurt too much. It hurt all over, and she clenched her teeth at the stiffness of her body. _How long have I been lying here?_ She wondered.

"A little over sixteen hours now." The voice answered her, and she realized she'd spoken out loud. "You were out cold, I didn't think you'd wake up until late tomorrow at the least. But Alcione came and told me you had woken up, and now I have to watch you."

Umi filed this information away in her mind, and knew now this wasn't Alcione who was speaking to her. For one, the voice was more masculine, and a lot nicer than Alcione's. Her curiosity got the better of her, and ignoring the pain, she turned so she could sit up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, you're much too weak." Said the voice, and Umi ignored it.

"Lie back down." The voice ordered more sternly now, but Umi was sitting up now, her arms supporting her from behind.

Finally, when the spots behind her eyes and the pain stopped, she snapped, "And who are you to tell me what to do?" 

She turned her head slightly, facing her captive who stood behind the thick metal bars of the cell. She first got a look of his armor, which gleamed in the candlelight. It looked kind of familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she'd seen it. Moving her gaze up, she looked at the head, which was framed with white hair. A pair of intense golden eyes stared back at her.

Her jaw dropped as memories from the past came back to her. He watched her expression change from confusion to realization as she looked at him, and he raised an eyebrow in question.

"What?"

"This…this can't be…" She managed, a look of disbelief washing across her face. "Eagle??"

To Be Continued…


	15. Truth or Lies

Here I Am

Chapter Fifteen – Truth or Lies

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Long time no see, huh? When *was* the last time I updated? O_o *can't remember* ^^; But anyway, sorry for the delay. Been busy with school, since I started on Wednesday. That, and I wasn't sure how to go about this chapter. Writer's block…yay. So this chapter sucks ass, sorry if it wasn't what you expected, lol. Anyway, I want to thank all my reviewers – the more reviews I get, the more I write, so this chapter's out because of you :) So keep on R&R'ing, and enjoy the fic! ^^

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

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"Eagle??"

Eagle's eyebrows raised, and he looked at her in confusion. This girl, who he had thought familiar earlier, knew his name? But he certainly didn't remember her's…so how did she know him? Was it possible he had thought right before, that the Magic Knights were the key to his past? He stepped forward, looking at the young girl through the bars of the cell.

"H-How do you know my name?" He questioned.

The blue haired girl sat silently, studying him. _It can't be him…Eagle's dead!_ She tried to tell herself, but whenever she looked into his golden eyes she could tell it was him. _It really was Eagle, although there was something strange about him. Why would he ask such a question? _Didn't he remember they had met during the last time the Magic Knights had been called to Cephiro?

"Eagle Vision," She swallowed, "Don't you remember we met a few years ago?" She stopped for a moment, but there was no sign of remembrance. "You were from Autozam…you came to Cephiro to learn about the Pillar System…" She trailed off, finally stopping.

__

Eagle…Vision? Is that my last name? He was looking away now, trying to remember anything, anything at all. _Autozam..Autozam is a country near Cephiro. Is that where I came from…is that where I was born?_ He looked back at the girl, who was giving him a strange look.

"You don't remember?" She asked.

He looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Umi's head was spinning, and not from the pain. _This is all so…crazy! Somehow Eagle is alive, and he doesn't remember a thing! He does even remember…_"Hikaru!"

Eagle frowned, looking back at the girl. He gave her a questioning look.

"Hikaru," She started to explain, "You couldn't have forgotten her!" She was on her hands and knees now, crawling across the floor to the bars despite the pain it caused her. She grabbed the bars once she reached them, sitting up on her knees. "You couldn't have…"

__

Hikaru? Eagle bit his lip, trying to remember. He suddenly thought of the red headed girl that had caught his attention at the palace. Had that been her? Was that who the girl before him was talking about? He shook his head, growing frustrated with himself. Obviously the girl knew him, but he couldn't remember a thing she was talking about!

"Eagle?" She asked in a quiet voice, "You've forgotten her?"

"Eagle!" Came a voice, and Eagle's attention snapped to the only door to the dungeons. Alcione stood there, leaning against the doorway with a hand to her waist.

"Alcione." He acknowledged her with a scowl.

"Don't converse with the enemy." She snapped, "You know what our Lord told you – she'll fill your head with lies. She'll do and say anything to get out."

__

Alcione…Umi looked from Alcione to Eagle, her eyes wide. "You're working for the enemy?"

Eagle looked back down at the blue haired girl, and ignored her last question. _Although I hate to admit it, Alcione's right…she's most likely making stuff up so I'll take pity on her and let her out. _He mentally kicked himself for talking to a prisoner – he knew better than that. But there was something so believable about what she was talking about…

"Is that all you wanted to say?" He asked darkly, looking at Alcione out of the corner of his eye, "Or do you actually have something important to say?"

Umi watched in horror. Eagle and Alcione working together, and who knows whom else! She glared at the white haired man through the bars. "I can't believe you'd sink so low, Eagle."

Eagle looked down at the girl, and opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Alcione.

"Shut up, Magic Knight." She hissed, "Stop telling him lies! He is not who you think he is!"

"I'm not lying!" She insisted, looking into Eagle's golden eyes, "And you are the Eagle I once knew! You just don't remember!" She looked at Alcione, her eyes darkening, "Who did this? Who took his memories away and turned him against us?"

"I know nothing of what you talk about." Alcione smirked.

"You're lying!" Umi growled, and looked back to Eagle, "Eagle, you have to remember something! You came to Cephiro to see the Pillar…to become the new Pillar and help Autozam! You and Hikaru…you both tried, and Hikaru ended up being the Pillar in the end. You..you died saving Lantis…please remember!"

"Fool!" Alcione spat, taking heavy strides towards Umi, "Don't fill his head with such lies!"

Eagle stood silently, watching the two women. He wasn't sure which one to believe…and he didn't remember a thing about what the blue haired girl had just said. Was she really making it up? He didn't know. Or maybe Alcione was the one lying.

"Stop it, both of you." He shook his head, frustrated.

Alcione scowled. "Don't tell me what to do."

Eagle sighed. "Why are you here anyway? You never did answer that question."

"Our Lord wishes to see us, all of us." She told him, casting a sideways glance at Umi, careful to keep all details from the girl.

Umi sat back and watched, her hands clenching the bars so tight her hands were turning white. She continued to glare at the two, before her gaze dropped and she stared at the cold stone floor she was sitting on_. This isn't possible…this must be some kind of nightmare!_ She let go of the bars, allowing her hands to fall to her knees. _Eagle's alive…working for the enemy…Alcione's alive…I'm stuck in some sort of dungeon…_

"Our Lord is awaiting us," Said Alcione, and Umi looked back up as she turned to leave, "Be late and suffer the consequences."

Eagle watched her retreating back, taking a few steps after her before lowering his head and following her with a steady stride. Umi gripped the bars again, her face between the bars as she watched them leave.

"Eagle!" She called after them, "Wait!"

He hesitated only a moment before he disappeared out the door and into the darkness, the door slamming shut behind him. 

-----

It was dark when she awoke, the candle on the bed stand having long gone out. Moonlight shone in through the closed balcony windows, casting dim light into the room, and causing shadows on the walls.

Hikaru yawned, rolling over. She was surprised when she saw someone asleep next to her. Sitting up, she could tell it was Fuu.

__

What time is it? She wondered, _I must have fallen asleep…_

She closed her eyes, trying to return to dreamland where there were no worries, but memories of real life started to return to her. She sighed, getting up and making her way towards the door. Perhaps if she went for a small walk, by the time she returned to her own room she would be tired enough to go back to sleep.

The hall was deathly silent, and the candles on the wall had gone out. The only light came from the few windows, which wasn't much. Hikaru had to carefully watch where she was going, but she managed to find herself out in the gardens.

The gardens were just as quiet as the palace, although the sound of water could be heard from the fountain in the middle of the gardens. A few guards were standing at the entrance and exit, but they paid no attention to the Magic Knight. They were busily keeping a lookout for intruders, and trying to stay awake.

Hikaru stepped past them, nodding slightly when they glanced at her. The grass was cool and damp beneath her feet, but she paid no attention to it as she walked through the paths surrounded by rose bushes and other flowers.

__

The garden's so beautiful at night, she smiled, looking up at the clear sky. Stars shimmered and twinkled above, and she sat down on a stone seat to look at them. The calmness and silence…it was very relaxing, and helped clear her mind. She leaned back on the chair, which was big enough for two or three people and didn't have any backs or sides, and continued to stare up at the sky.

"It's so peaceful out here," She breathed, closing her eyes. She jumped when someone answered her.

"Yes, it is. That's why I come out here late at night to think."

Hikaru sat up, looking at Clef as he sat down nearby, looking up at the sky as she had just done. "Clef?"

He raised his hand, shaking his head. "I'm sorry Hikaru…the locating spell couldn't find Umi." He told her, and her hopeful look disappeared, "But I'm going to try again very soon, when I regain my strength."

She nodded, taking this info in. The others would be as disappointed as she was, but at least Clef was trying. Hikaru lay back down, and silence fell between them. It wasn't lifted until Hikaru asked:

"Clef? Do you think…wherever Umi is, she's looking up at the same starry sky?" She asked in a small voice.

Clef looked at the red headed girl, and lowered his gaze. "Somehow I doubt it."

Hikaru shook her head slowly. "Why would someone do something like this?"

"It's all linked to why you've returned – the same person who cast that spell is after you." Answered Clef, "We just don't know who it is."

Hikaru clenched her hands together in a fist, "If I ever find out who kidnapped Umi.." She growled, and Clef smiled at her.

"Don't worry, they won't get away with it." He said.

The silence returned, and Hikaru yawned. She was growing tired.

"Perhaps it would be best if you returned to bed." Clef offered, "I'll get Lantis to escort you."

"Thanks." She murmured, her eyes finally closing as sleep took her. She awoke only briefly when she was lifted off the stone chair and into someone's arms, and knowing it was Lantis, she snuggled into his arms.

Clef watched as Lantis carried Hikaru back to the palace.

__

I swear, whoever it is, they won't get away with this. He looked up to the night sky. _Umi…_

To Be Continued…


	16. Morning

Here I Am

Chapter Sixteen – Morning

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Heh…haven't updated in a long time, huh? Well, nope..I'm not dead. Just really busy trying to keep my marks up, and I've become obsessed with Inuyasha…it's a great anime :D But anyway, this is a short chapter…and nothing much happens. Sorry if Ascot is a bit OOC, I just figured he'd take Umi's diappearance really hard, since he has a crush on her. Until next time! R&R!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

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The sun was just rising, its warm rays making its way across the land of Cephiro, awakening its inhabitants. In the Palace, most of the people were still asleep having been up all night worrying about Umi and if Clef could find her or not.

Ascot stood on his balcony, which overlooked the garden, watching the sunrise. He'd been up for quite a while now, unable to sleep in like the others. He supposed he wasn't the only one up by now though, since Ferio had to rise early to tend to his kingdom, and Clef most likely hadn't slept at all.

He sighed, shaking his head as the morning breeze blew at his hair. He knew Clef had been unsuccessful in his spell to find Umi, otherwise Clef would have woken everyone up by now with the good news. The spell had failed, most likely blocked by darker magic, and Umi was still missing.

Ascot slammed his hand down on the railing, clenching his teeth together in pain and anger. _I wish there was something I could do…some way to help!_

"Now why'd you do that for?" Came a voice behind him, and he turned to find Caldina giving him a look. He frowned at her, turning back to the gardens.

"No news?" He asked, clenching the railing. Behind him, Caldina shifted feet before walking towards him and laying a hand on his arm.

"Don't worry so much, Ascot. Umi's strong, she'll be okay. And we'll find her soon enough." A small smile made its way across her lips, "Clef will keep trying. He'll find her."

"I just…" Ascot hesitated, letting his hands drop to his sides. With a sigh, he continued, "I feel so useless!"

Caldina crossed her arms, giving him a knowing look. "And I don't? I think we all feel that way," She leaned on the railing now, trying to get a better look at his face that was covered with his long bangs, "Even the girls. Imagine what it must be like for them, to finally return home…and for Umi to be kidnapped. It must be horrible."

Ascot shook his head, "Whoever _did_ this is horrible!"

Caldina didn't bother to answer, just relaxed more fully against the railing and let the silence continue. Finally, she finally spoke, "Come, Ascot. You've spent too much time moping this morning. Come down to breakfast with me and the others." She said quietly.

Ascot turned his head away from her. "I want to be alone for a bit longer."

With a roll of her eyes, Caldina straightened up with a sigh. "If that's what you really want." She turned away from him, heading back in through the balcony doors and into the room. She was almost to the door when he spoke again.

"Tell the others I'll be down later on."

She nodded, although his back was still turned and she knew he couldn't see her, and left the room.

-----

Ferio was very irritated, having been up almost all night and having no sleep. Not only that, but he had to put up with his guards and soldiers constantly bugging him and asking for instructions, and the rest of the Palace was in an uproar. Word had gotten around that the Magic Knight of Water had mysteriously disappeared from her room, and that news was traveling fast.

"Prince Ferio?" Called a voice from behind him as he made his way towards the dining room for breakfast. He had hoped that he might get the chance to talk to the others, to get away from all the problems arising that he was forced to take care of. But no, it seemed trouble followed him everywhere. "Prince Ferio!"

"Yes?" He asked whirling around, his royal green cape twirling with him. He watched as another confused guard made his way towards him.

"Lantis told me to come," The man told him, and at once Ferio raised a eyebrow in question.

"Anything new?"

The guard shook his head. "No, still no sign of anything. We had guards posted all over the Palace all night, and nothing was seen. It looks like the culprit isn't returning."

"Damn!" Ferio growled. He had been hoping the kidnapper would return with some kind of ransom note, or perhaps to try to kidnap the other Magic Knights, so the culprit would have been caught. But there was no such luck, it seemed. He snapped out of his thoughts to find the man staring at him with a confused look on his face. "What?" He snapped waspishly.

The guard winced, knowing his Prince was under a lot of stress at the moment. "Lantis also told me that he wishes to speak to you before breakfast, my prince." He hesitated, before saying, "He's waiting in the library with Presea."

Ferio nodded, dismissing the man as he changed course and headed in the direction the library was. 

What could Lantis want? He wondered as he entered the library. At once, Lantis and Presea stopped whatever conversation that they were having and turned towards him.

"Lantis." He acknowledged the man, and nodded at Presea. "Presea. You wished to see me?"

"I know you must be busy right now," Presea gave him a small smile before continuing, "But Lantis and I have been talking –"

"The kidnapper is obviously smart, and most likely strong," Lantis started, "He most likely won't show his face around here again in fear he might be caught."

"I figured as much," Ferio sighed.

"Presea has offered to make new powerful weapons for the Magic Knights." Lantis finished, and Ferio suddenly looked up at both of them, his eyes flickering to Presea. She nodded.

"Clef can't sense her anywhere, his magic is being blocked," She said quietly, looking down at the floor, "There's not much more we can do for Umi. The Magic Knights – they might be able to find her." She finished, looking back up at him.

Ferio seemed to think this over. She's right, there's not much more we can do for them, and they won't want to stay here waiting for Clef to finally break through and sense her, wherever she is. They'll want to go search for her soon enough, and hopefully, they'll get a lead on where she's being held captive.

"I'll make the best weapons and armor I can, which will grow as they progress, of course," Presea went on to say, "And Lantis has offered to go with them."

Lantis nodded. "I wish to accompany them."

"I will accompany them as well," Came a voice behind them, and Ferio turned to see Clef standing in the doorway. "My magic will be helpful."

"But we need you in the Palace –" Ferio started to argue, but Clef waved him off.

"Have you forgotten? I can easily return here by magic." Clef answered with a smile.

"But the spell –"

"The spell can be done at any time," He answered, "And if we get any leads, it's possible my magic will be able to help determine the way."

Ferio looked from Clef to his other two friends standing not too far away, and nodded in defeat. "You both may go. I just wish I could go as well," He shook his head, "But I must stay here and keep watch over the castle."

"Ah, princely duties," Presea smiled.

"Just promise me – you'll take good care of the girls. And Fuu-"

"We'll protect them with our life." Said Lantis.

"Then that's that. You'll head out once Presea finishes the Magic Knight's weapons in search of Umi, and hopefully, you'll bring her back safely." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We'll tell the Magic Knights during breakfast."

To Be Continued…


	17. New Weapons

Here I Am

Chapter Seventeen – New Weapons

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Wow, it's been a long time since I've updated this hasn't it? Its funny..because I was stuck at the same place for months, and I opened this chapter today and started writing..and I finally finished it! Sorry for the..really long wait, lol. Hope everyone isn't too mad at me ^^; Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

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Umi woke up with a start, her eyes immediately searching the room. She had dreamed that she was being held captive by none other than Eagle, who was supposed to be dead. But as her eyes roamed her dungeon cell, she realized it wasn't a dream. She really was being held captive, and her eyes landed on her kidnapper who sat outside the bars, watching her with a hint of amusement.

She narrowed her eyes before she spoke, "What time is it?"

"It's morning." He informed her, before indicating to something on the table beside him, "I brought something for you, in case you were hungry."

Umi sat up, feeling a lot better than she had the day before. She saw a tray of food on the table, and her stomach made a funny noise as she smelled the aroma. She gave Eagle a suspicious look, "How do I know you haven't poisoned it?" She asked.

He stood, lifting the tray before coming forward, and bending down, he pushed it through the space under the bars of her cell. It came to a halt before her, and she stared down at its contents.

"Well, it could be poisoned," He said with an amused smile, staring at her from where he crouched, "But that would ruin my Master's plan, if you were to die."

Umi looked up, suddenly wondering just who was giving Eagle orders. She had to know who the real person behind all of this was. "Master?"

"I'm afraid I'm not permitted to tell you his name."

"Why not?"

"Because if per chance you actually escape," He paused before adding, "Which you won't, because I'm to stay here guarding you at all times, my Master doesn't want the others to know his identity."

Umi frowned. "But if you know I'm not going to escape, then why can't you tell me?"

Eagle forced a smile at the girl. "I can't disobey orders. Sorry."

Umi sighed inwardly, shifting her weight uneasily as she tried to sit in a more comfortable position_. I'm being held prisoner in some kind of dungeon, with a dead guy standing guard, and I don't even know why I'm here and who's behind this! _Picking up her fork, she absently picked at her food. She suddenly felt the need to cry – it seemed that nothing was going her way. She'd arrived in Cephiro only to get hurt, rained on, fall unconscious, and be kidnapped. Besides Larfarga, she hadn't even gotten the chance to see her other friends!

Looking up, Umi glared at the man sitting on the other side of the bars watching her_. No, I won't cry. I'm not weak..I must be strong! The others will come for me…Larfarga..he must have told them I'm back by now!_

"What are you thinking?" Eagle asked curiously, staring at the girl who seemed to be deep in thought. She'd been silent for almost ten minutes now, and he was beginning to wonder what was going through the girl's mind.

"Nothing." She snapped, before saying in a dead tone, "You can't keep me here forever you know."

"Oh don't worry," He replied with a smirk, "You won't be here forever. Just until my Master decides you're of no use anymore and kills you."

Umi slid the plate of food away untouched, suddenly feeling a shiver rake her body. _Kills me? I'm…going to die?_ Her hard eyes softened as she looked down at the cold stone floor, _I'll never get to see them again…I was so close, and I'll never get to see them!_

"Eat up," Eagle continued, "You're injured. You'll need your strength."

Please…someone help me! I don't want to die without seeing my friends again! I don't want to die alone in this cold dungeon, where nobody will ever find me! Please – someone save me! 

-----

The breakfast table was silent – nobody really felt like talking, not when one of their friends was missing.

Hikaru sighed, laying her forehead in the palm of her head as she propped her head up above her breakfast, her other hand tightly holding onto her fork as she tried her best to eat something. Beside her, Fuu was doing much the same. Neither really felt like eating, but the others had insisted.

"We'll be leaving once Presea finishes the weapons." Clef informed them, sitting not too far away. He watched as Hikaru glanced up briefly, forcing a smile, before returning to moving her scrambled eggs around her plate. Fuu, however, let her fork drop to her plate.

"Where will we be heading?" She asked, wise eyes blinking behind her glasses, "I thought you said that you couldn't find Umi anywhere – so how shall we know where to go?"

"We'll be visiting a nearby town in hopes of getting a lead," Lantis answered for Clef, "The residence there might know something, or might have spotted something odd that we can follow."

Clef nodded. "Hopefully we'll find some clue to what's going on."

"Will you be accompanying us?" Hikaru asked, finally sitting up straight and placing her fork beside her plate. There was no way she was going to be able to eat breakfast, and she gave up trying.

"Lantis and I shall be joining you." Clef confirmed.

Fuu suddenly glanced at the man beside her, whom had been silent through the whole exchange. "Ferio?"

He looked up at her, giving her a small smile before taking her hand in his. "I'm sorry Fuu, but I'm afraid I can't leave the palace. I must stay here and watch out for my people, in case something else happens." He glanced over at the other two men, "Don't worry, you're in good hands."

"Hey! What about me?" Everyone looked up to see Caldina pouting, "Why wasn't I asked to go? Umi is a good friend of mine, after all."

"I wasn't asked either." Ascot spoke up from where he sat.

"Caldina, Ascot…we need you here at the palace," Ferio informed them, "With our mage and best fighter gone, we'll be vulnerable. We need your powers here, just in case we're attacked. Don't worry, you'll both get your chances to help the Magic Knights."

"But –" Ascot started, but Ferio lifted a hand to cut him off.

"No buts." He said, "If we're going to find Umi, we're all going to have to work together. This isn't going to be an easy task. Umi's out there, and we don't even know where to start searching for her."

Hikaru suddenly clenched her fist tightly, and glowered at the table angrily. "When I find out who did this, I'm going to make them pay!"

"Don't worry," Fuu put a hand on her friend's shoulder, and Hikaru relaxed somewhat, "We'll both make them pay." She forced a small smile, "Nobody messes with the Magic Knights and gets away with it!"

Hikaru smiled at her friend, and suddenly grinned as she nodded once. "You're right!"

Ferio watched the two girls, glad that they no longer seemed as depressed as they had earlier. Now they both seemed determined to find Umi, no matter what. He had been slightly worried there for a while that they weren't up to it yet.

"I see you girls are in a better mood," Came a female voice, and everyone at the table looked to Presea, who had just walked into the room. "Well I have something that will make you even more happy," She said with a smile. "Your weapons are finished. Please, stand and I shall give them to you."

Hikaru and Fuu looked at each other, before nodding and pushing their chairs back as they stood. Their faces set showing their determination, they walked towards the older woman side by side.

"These weapons are different from your old ones," Presea began, holding a hand out in front of her. "They're lighter, and easier to handle. They come when you call upon them, and disappear when they are not needed, and this is all controlled by the gems on your gloves," A white light appeared in her hand, and slowly the edges began to burn a deep green and red. With a flash, two gloves appeared, and Presea handed them both to the magic Knights.

Fuu took hers, a deep green, which was different from the white and green one she was used to. It was embroidered with gold material around the edges, which seemed to sparkle a silver white in the light. Embedded in the back of the hand was a jewel of pure white, with shimmering gold encircling it. Looking closer, Fuu's eyes widened as she peered into the jewel. Swirls of green floated there, moving almost as if it was in a snowstorm.

From beside her, Hikaru stared at her glove as well. Her's was much the same, although where Fuu's was green, her's was red. Holding out her right hand, Hikaru slid the glove onto it, her fingers stretching inside as she fit into it, her finger tips coming out the top.

"Fits perfectly." She commented, before almost staggering back as a swirl of red and sparkling white incased her, cutting her off from the view of the others. From beside her, Fuu stepped back as she watched in awe. When the color dyed down, all the girl could do was blinking.

Hikaru stared down at her totally new outfit, twisting and turning her head to look around her back at see if everything was as different as it looked. Her skirt had shorted, now ending before her knees, and it had changed to the same color red as her glove, with the same silvery gold endings. The blouse that she had been wearing was no more, as it had changed into a matching red coat like shirt with long sleeves that reached her glove, almost making it seem like the shirt and glove were one. A silver chest plate covered her front, reaching around her and molding into the armor that now covered her left shoulder. It was the same silvery color as the plate, only with golden designs embedded in it and red diamond like objects. One her left wrist was a large bracelet of gold and silver with the same red rubies glowing in the light. One her feet she wore red boots that reached above her ankles, gold around the top that bent into designs on the outside of each foot, a silver ruby like the one on her glove embedded in the middle.

"Whoa." Hikaru spun around, her short skirt flaring slightly as she turned, "Now _this_ is different!"

She glanced over at Fuu, who put on her own glove and disappeared into a green silvery light. When she reappeared, she was wearing an outfit much like Hikaru's, only her's was green.

"Your weapons are in the gem in your gloves." Presea told them, smiling as the girls began to comment about each other's new outfit. "All you have to do is call for them. Your powers, too, come from the gems. While you still have your old magic, you will learn new stuff in time. Your old magic is now also more powerful than ever before."

"This," Fuu indicated to her clothes, "Is great Presea. Thank you."

Hikaru hugged the older woman, "With this, I'm sure we'll be able to help Umi!"

Presea returned the hug, and smiled at Fuu. "I'm afraid I'm not much help other than making weapons, but I hope that it will be able to aid you in your quest. Please, find Umi and bring her back safety. And," She pulled away from Hikaru, and with a flash of white and blue another glove appeared in her hand, "If you do find her, give her this."

Hikaru took it, nodding with a small smile. "I will."

To Be Continued…


	18. Goodbyes

Here I Am

Chapter Eighteen – Goodbyes

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Wow, it's been a few months since I've updated this fic :3 Sorry about the wait! I have good news though! My friend Mindy recently sent me both seasons of MKR on tape….so now I'll finally get to see what happens in the second season, and I can refresh my memory with the first! Woot. In other news, I think I may be working backwards and fixing some of the mistakes/spelling errors in past chapters ; But besides that, R&R, and enjoy! Be seein you next update! ;D

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

----------

"Are you ready?"

They had spent the morning packing the necessities that they would need on their journey. Now that they had received their new weapons and armor, both Hikaru and Fuu were eager to leave in search of their missing friend. With their stuff saddled to their horses, which Ferio had generously lent them for their journey, they were now making sure that they had everything they would need and were saying their goodbyes.

Fuu nodded, standing slightly off to the side as she looked up at Ferio, who was smiling down at her. He'd waited so long for her to return, and now that she was back, he was a little reluctant to let her go. Especially since whatever evil out there that took Umi from them seemed to be very powerful. Taking a step forward, he took her small hands into his own.

"Take care of yourself, Fuu," he told her in a quiet voice.

She responded by smiling at him, her fingers moving to grasp his hands in a reassuring way. "I'll be fine. Hikaru, Clef and Lantis will be with me." She glanced down at her hands where her new glove covered all but her fingers. The white and green gem embedded in it shone in the afternoon sun. "Besides, I'm sure Presea's weapons and armor will help us greatly."

Not too far off Lantis sat upon his horse, a great black stallion that seemed to suit him quite well. Clef sat upon a black horse much like Lantis' only a few feet away, both men quietly letting the Magic Knights say their goodbyes before they began their journey.

Hikaru was crying loudly, her arms wrapped around Mokona, Presea, and Ascot. Larfarga stood off to the side, watching the scene with an odd expression on his face as the powerful Magic Knight of Fire bawled her eyes out. Caldina stood by his side, her arms crossed as she waited for her goodbye.

Finally, once Hikaru had let go of the others, Caldina tapped her foot impatiently. "Well?"

Almost immediately she was being hugged to death by the small red haired girl, who had her head buried in her chest and was sobbing loudly. "We only just got back and we're already leaving!"

Caldina smiled fondly at the girl, patting her on the head. "Hey, it's okay. Just make sure you bring Umi back, got it?"

Hikaru gazed up at the woman, a smile creeping to her lips despite her sadness. She nodded once, letting go of Caldina and clenching a fist before her. "I promise!"

Across the small distance, back to where Fuu and Ferio were, he suddenly tugged her hand so that she fell against him, his arms immediately wrapping around her as he hugged her one last time. Fuu, although he couldn't see her face, blushed as she returned the embrace. Suddenly, she was hit with memories of the past, when she had first met Ferio. She hadn't trust him at all, it seemed like he was always lying to the Magic Knights or doing something that involved them, liking helping Ascot lure them into the desert. Now though, she knew that she trusted him with both her heart and soul, and she was equally, if not more, sad to be leaving when they had only just been reunited.

"I wish I could go with you; watch over you unnoticed like I used to do." He smiled bitterly.

Taking a step away from him, she returned his smile as she tried hard not to cry. "You have to stay here and watch over the people," she told him. "Don't worry about us – we'll find the culprit, stop whatever evil schemes they have planned, save Umi and we'll return as quickly as possible."

Ferio suddenly dropped his hand to his side, searching for something in his pocket. He withdrew a small hand size object, taking Fuu's hand and laying it in her palm. "Here, take this."

Fuu looked down at it, a grin spreading across her face. It was the device that Ferio had first given her all those years ago, the one he had said made wishes come true. That had been another lie, really, but it had turned out quite useful and it had allowed her to communicate with him.

Ferio closed her hand upon it, his two hands lingering upon hers. "This way, if you ever need me, just give me a call," he grinned with a wink, "Just remember, it doesn't always have to be when you're in trouble!" he laughed, remembering the past.

Fuu took it, her face flushed in the afternoon sun as she said one more quick goodbye and wandered over to her horse, a great white and brown mare with a brown tail and spotted mane. Across from her, Hikaru was now trying to mount a smaller, more petite brown horse, though the smaller girl was having quite a lot of difficulties trying. Hikaru was relieved when Lantis caught her by the arm, pulling her up from the other side so that she sat firmly on the horse's back.

"Thanks!" She smiled with a faint blush. Grabbing hold of the reins, she was about to tell the others that she was ready to go when a sharp cry came from somewhere within the palace. A few seconds later something fast and blue spend past her heading straight for Lantis.

"Lantis!" cried a small voice, and all heads turned to see a small pixie like creature hugging Lantis's chest armor. "You can't leave without me!"

Lantis looked down at her, lifting a hand to pick her off of him and hold her before his face. "Primera, with Clef gone, you will be needed here."

The small pixie had tears in her eyes. "But I want to go with you!" Over her shoulder she shot Hikaru a dirty look before looking back at the darkly dressed man, "I can't let you go off like this! I want to go too!"

Lantis sighed, growing frustrated. "Please, do as I say."

Primera pouted in defeat, her small wings going limp behind her as she turned away from him crossly.

"Presea." Lantis motioned to the other woman to take the pixie, handing Primera to the weapon maker gently before taking the reins in his hands. "Are we heady?"

Fuu and Hikaru nodded, though Clef said nothing. Lantis knew that the Master Mage was deep in thought, most likely thinking about their new enemy and the journey they were about to start off on. With a small hitch of the reins Lantis pushed his horse forward, the others following after him.

Ferio and the others watched as their friends departed, their faces grim.

In one smooth movement Ferio bent down, whispering into one of Mokona's long ears, "Follow them."

The small creature nodded and with a happy "Puu! Puuuuu!" started after the group that had just left.

Above them on one of the higher towers of the palace, a figure stood watching the departure. Flicking her hair back from her eyes, Nova smirked as she watched the group of warriors leave the palace grounds. It was time to report back to her master.

-----

"They've left, my Lord."

Nova sat before Innova, one leg beneath her and the other drawn to her chest as she bowed before the man that had given her life. He sat upon his throne, his face his usual mask of uncaring; emotionless. He stood silently, making his way towards the glowing ball that forever seemed to shine before the throne. Within it a picture started to form, and soon, it showed the traveling Magic Knights and their companions.

Innova said nothing for a moment, watching as the red haired Magic Knight suddenly lost her balance and almost toppled over and she struggled to hold onto her horse. He sighed, shaking his head. Sometimes he wondered how he had let these girls get the best of him.

"She looks a lot like me," Nova's comment made his gaze snap towards her, and he studied her confused face. She did not remember anything about her past; that at one time, she had been a part of the Magic Knight of fire.

"Indeed, there is a resemblance," he smiled, playing along.

"It may be out of place to ask this but," Nova gave him an uncertain look, her gaze then moving to the moving picture of the girl, "Do…do I know her?"

"I don't think so."

Nova blinked, taking one more glance at the red haired girl before she was silent for a moment. Then, finally raising herself from the floor, she regarded her master. "Is there anything else you wish for me to do?"

"Yes," Innova turned his back to her, "Tell Eagle that I want an update on our little Magic Knight. I wish to speak to Alcione as well."

With a small bow the girl disappeared into the darkness, soon replaced by the figure of a man. Eagle stood before his master, awaiting the other man to turn and acknowledge him.

"The Magic Knights have set off in search of their missing friend," Innova said, and Eagle didn't know if his master was speaking to him or talking to himself. When the white haired man turned towards him, however, he discovered that Innova was talking to him, "How is she doing?"

"Not well," Eagle admitted. "She is still injured, and she eats very little. Most of the time she sleeps, and nightmares plague her. I think she may be getting a fever."

"I see," was all that Innova said, his back turned towards Eagle as he continued to watch the Magic Knights within the glowing ball. "What is taking Alcione? Where has she wandered off to now?"

"I am here," her voice floated through the darkness before her figure appeared in the dim light of the room, "You called me?"

"Yes, I want you to go and make yourself known to the Magic Knights. I want them to know what kind of power they're up against, and I want to leave them confused and uncertain. Keep them busy as long as you can; attack, but do not kill them. You have my permission to harm them if it is necessary."

"Yes, Master," she answered, her gaze cast downwards as she smirked. From her side, Eagle frowned at her but said nothing.

"You may go now," Innova walked towards them. "Alcione, do what I said. Eagle, to your post." He walked past them without another word, leaving them to do his bidding.

Walking down the deserted hall of what he was now considering his palace, Innova moved with the grace and silence of a cat. Not a sound could be heard as he walked the halls, the only sound made was the squeak of a door as he entered a room at the far end of the corridor.

The room contained many different pieces of machinery, all much like the ones found where he had created Nova and the others in the past. This room, however, was a lot bigger and there was a lot less equipment. That was because this was a special room that contained only one specimen.

Laid out on a white table was a figure that Innova knew quite well. Innova had once fought for this man – had been his second in command - and even now he still considered the man before him a great and powerful being. Once the man upon the table awoken, things were going to change around the palace, and Innova was eagerly awaiting the awakening.

Innova smirked, bringing a hand up to play with the long black hair that flowed down the sides of the table. "Soon, High Priest Zagato, you will awaken and Cephiro will _bleed_."

To Be Continued…


	19. Being Watched

Here I Am

Chapter Nineteen – Being Watched

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – Don't own MKR or its characters. No profit is being made, only borrowing them for my own amusement.

Author's Notes – Err…long time no see. I originally planned to have this chapter written and out long ago, but I got writer's block halfway into it and then put it off until I forgot about it. But hey, I finally finished it! I bought the Rayearth OAV last week…it's pretty wicked! I love Eagle in it…he's so badass and evil! I wish I'd written him like that, lol. He's actually not all that bad in this fic…but that's because I'm trying to keep in him character with the anime, sooo :P R&R and enjoy!

Warnings/Pairings – Rated PG, though I may up the rating later on. Pairings of Umi/Clef, Fuu/Ferio, and Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle.

Summary – Umi wishes to return to Cephiro, and on a cold lonely night she gets sent back. However, things aren't what they seem, for a new evil is lurking not far away, and it has plans for Umi.

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It was another sunny day in Cephiro, the sun shining down on them from the sky above and a cool warm breeze filtering in through the trees. Above them birds were chirping and fluttering from branch to branch and the leaves swayed casting shadows on the forest floor. Hikaru closed her eyes, breathing in the clean air and letting everything finally sink in.

She was back in Cephiro – the real Cephiro, the one she'd first arrived in so many years ago. She remembered its lush grass and its clear running rivers, though she also remembered how it had soon turned to a baron wasteland just before and after the death of Princess Emeraude. She preferred the Cephiro she had first laid eyes on over that, of course, and she was glad that everything had returned to normal.

With a sigh and a content smile upon her face, Hikaru turned her head upwards as she studied the sky. They'd been traveling for what seemed like days now, though it had only been a few hours. The fact that she was riding a horse should have made things go quicker, but Hikaru was having difficulties riding it and her discomfort was only prolonging the journey it seemed.

When the horses whinnied beneath her, reaching its neck to grab some leaves off a nearby tree to munch on, Hikaru groaned inwardly. _I'm not cut out for this kind of thing…I'd much rather walk!_

_But Umi needs you_, a voice reasoned with her inside her head, _and the faster you go the more likely you'll find her quicker!_

Her determination coming back to her, Hikaru set her eyes in front of her as she gripped the reins tighter. They'd been walking in a straight line for a while now, Lantis at the front followed by Clef, Fuu and Hikaru taking up the rear.

As if sensing her mood change Fuu looked over her shoulder, careful of her new armor, and smiled. "How are you holding up back there, Hikaru?"

The horse beneath her snorted, tugging his head foreword and almost toppling the red haired girl over. With a shaky voice Hikaru replied, "I'm good!"

"This is actually quite fun once you get used to it," said Fuu, leaning in and patting her horse on the side of the neck.

Hikaru gave her an envious stare. "Not when your horse would rather stomp on you than let you ride it!"

"I thought you were the one who loved animals," Fuu laughed, teasing her friend. "Umi and I used to believe you could understand their language!"

If Hikaru could have crossed her arms, she would have, but as it turned out if she were to let go of the reins she would probably end up flat on her back on the ground. Instead she opted for giving Fuu the most frustrated look that she could muster. It was true that she had always loved animals, especially her dog Hikari back at home, but this horse just didn't want to cooperate!

Deciding to ignore her troubles, Hikaru tilted her head so that she could see past Fuu. "How long until the next village?"

"Still a long way," Clef replied from somewhere up front, his voice raised so that she could hear him.

"Will we be camping out tonight?" Fuu asked.

"Most likely," was Clef's reply.

They continued on in silence for a while, neither feeling the urge to continue a conversation. The girls' hearts were heavy thinking about Umi, and the guys were trying to push on so that they would gain more ground. The faster they went and the more ground they covered the better.

After a while, however, Lantis suddenly stopped, almost causing everyone else to crash into him. Steadying their horses, they watched as he tilted his head skyward, his eyes searching the surrounding area before he looked off to the right, his gaze searching the dense foliage and leaves above.

Pushing forward, Hikaru passed Fuu and Clef and came to a stop near his side. "What is it, Lantis?"

He was silent for a few moments before he answered, "We're not alone."

Hikaru blinked, confused as she followed Lantis' gaze. "I don't see anything."

Lantis furrowed his brows, his gaze never wavering from the spot in the trees. "We're being watched from a distance."

Hikaru and Fuu both clenched their gloved fists, ready for action if whatever it was that was spying on them decided to attack. They would be ready to fight, no matter what it threw at them.

"Is it a monster?" Fuu asked quietly, pulling on her horse's reins to keep the impatient animal steady.

"It could possibly be," Clef answered.

Hikaru shook her head, "But weren't all the monsters destroyed? I mean, the people of Cephiro created them out of their fears, right? They weren't really real to begin with…and once Princess Emeraude…" She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Talking about the Princess' death was still very painful.

"You're right," the Mage nodded, "But something is troubling Cephiro, and right now anything is possible." He looked to her, giving her a sad smile, "You're back now, aren't you? If something is powerful enough to call back the legendary Magic Knights, then it's possible that monsters are roaming the lands again."

Hikaru felt a shiver go through her. Clef was right – anything was possible right now.

"It's not a monster, whatever it is," Lantis spoke. "It feels almost…human."

"Maybe it's just a villager who's lost out in the woods?" Hikaru offered, growing troubled.

"No," Lantis shook his head slightly. "This human has…sinister intentions."

Hikaru nodded, raising her hand as she started to call forth her sword. If the person in the woods was their enemy, then she would go seek them out and demand they tell her where Umi was being held captive! The magical swirl of red and silver was just starting to be drawn into the orb on her hand when Lantis suddenly put a hand over hers, stopping her. She looked at him questioningly.

"We have to keep moving."

Hikaru bit her lip, looking at the taller, darker clad man. "But.."

"They haven't attacked by now, so they don't plan on attacking just yet," he told her. "We must continue on and find your friend."

Hikaru stared at him for a moment before she nodded, dropping her hand back to the reins. Beside her, Lantis took one last glance to the side before he urged his horse forward, the others following after him. Hikaru let them pass, looking off in the direction the enemy was watching them from.

-----

Nova watched from a high branch of a tree as the group moved on, her long pink hair blowing in the breeze. She had seen and heard almost everything they had said, grinning wildly as the black armored man caught on to her presence, the way the familiar red haired girl looked so troubled as she hastily raised her hand to receive her sword. The look on the girl's face was almost…delicious!

Smirking like a cat that had just gotten a handful of canaries and a large bowl of cream, Nova watched as the girl stayed behind to take her place at the end of the line of travelers. She leaned forward slightly, gripping the branch of the tree so tightly that her nails dug into the thick bark, and her heart beat quickened.

_Who are you..? Why do I feel like I know you?_ These thoughts puzzled her, but she watched on in amusement. _You look so much like me…I feel like you _are_ me…but…_

Realizing her thoughts, Nova wiped the smirk off her face and ran a hand over her hair in frustration. Such thoughts weren't going to do her any good – she had done her task, and now it was time to report back to her lord and master. Raising a hand, the air in front of her rippled and turned dark, and without a second thought she jumped off the branch and disappeared into the void. When she opened her eyes next, she was in Innova's palace.

"It took you long enough," a cold voice came from the darkness, and Nova didn't have to look up to know who it was. Innova was standing before her, looking down at her in disdain. "Well?"

"They're heading North towards the nearest village. They hope to gain some insight of their friend's whereabouts," she answered. "They think someone in the village might know where she is."

Innova almost laughed, looking quite amused. "Like some stupid villagers would know anything about my plans!" He shook his head, his silvery white hair glistening in the dim light of the throne room. "Nova, go get me Alcione. I think it's time we let them have a hint of just what they're up against."

"Yes, my Lord," the pink haired woman bowed, retreating from the room.

Within moments Alcione came in, bowing before her master. "You called for me?"

"Yes, you shall leave for your mission now."

"Oh?" Alcione looked up abruptly, one brow raised.

"It's time for you to greet the Magic Knights in the forest."

A smirk appeared on her face, her face hopeful. "So we are finally going to let ourselves be known?"

Innova narrowed his eyes at her. "Of course not!" He snapped, "I'm just giving them a taste of my power!"

She remembered what Innova had said about not hurting the Magic Knights, that she was only supposed to confuse them and put them on edge. She had been hoping to battle the Magic Knights, probably outdo her master and teacher in magic, Clef…and perhaps kill the Zagato look-alike who had fooled her the last time she'd seen and talked to him.

Alcione frowned, her eyebrows drawing together. When she didn't say anything for a moment, he raised a brow quizzically at her.

"Well?"

"I'll do as you tell me, my Lord." She bit out, obviously unhappy about not being able to destroy the Magic Knights.

"Good," he replied coldly. "Now go. I have something I must attend to." She nodded and left without saying another word. Innova watched her go, eyes narrowed at her back as he spoke into the darkness, "She grows more defiant every day."

Behind him, the crystal mirror that he used to see things flashed and glowed, illuminating the room in a white light briefly before it dimmed to show a place that was familiar to Innova; he'd been there many times in the past week or more. The lab was almost dark, a small blue light above a table flickering and giving off the only light in the room. Zagato slept beneath it, still unmoving. When Innova turned towards his crystal, he smiled.

"I refuse to let her take them on just yet. We both know they'll destroy her, and I'll be short one more general. But soon, that won't matter," he took a step foreword, smiling fondly at the crystallized view of Zagato. "We'll take our revenge, once you awaken. They killed my Mistress, and took your beloved away from you…" He trailed off, the picture within the crystal suddenly flickering and changing. Soon it showed the Magic Knights and their guardians setting up camp for the evening. "They'll get what's coming to them soon enough."

His laughter echoed off the empty walls, echoing down the halls.

Down in the dungeons Umi sat up, startled, as a cold shiver ran down her spine.

To Be Continued…


End file.
